UFC middleweight contender and one-time title challenger, Paulo Costa has revealed he has been approached with three offers to make his Octagon comeback after agreeing terms on a new contract, following links with an October fight against the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev.
Costa, the current #5 ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined from active competition since August of last year, featuring in a main card outing against former undisputed division champion, Luke Rockhold.
Snapping a two-fight losing skid against former champion, Israel Adesanya and fellow former title challenger, Marvin Vettori, Belo Horizonte native, Paulo Costa defeated Rockhold with a unanimous decision effort – sending the Californian into retirement subsequently.
Confirming recently how he had agreed terms on a reportedly lucrative four-fight deal with the Dana White-led organization, Costa’s manager, Tamara Alves claimed that the Brazilian would earn in excess of $1,000,000 per fight.
And the outspoken fan-favorite then proclaimed that he would become the first mixed martial arts fighter in history to earn $1,000,000,000 over the course of his professional career.
Seeing a February fight against former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker fall to the wayside prior to the UFC 284 pay-per-view event, Costa revealed the UFC had offered him a May return against Sean Strickland following contract talks.
Paulo Costa expressed interest in fighting Khamzat Chimaev this year
Furthermore, the top-5 contender claimed the UFC were chomping at the bit for a fight between him and the undefeated welterweight contender, Chimaev, who has been linked with a return at UFC 294 in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE – on ‘Fight Island’.
Whilst failing to shed total light on his comeback to the organization, Costa revealed on his official social media how he has been approached with three fight offers from the UFC.
“I have 3 offers in (sic) tables right now,” Paulo Costa tweeted.
Prior to his second round TKO loss to the above-mentioned, Adesanya in their 2020 title fight, Costa had turned in consecutive victories over the likes of Yoel Romero, Uriah Hall, and former undisputed welterweight titleholder, Johny Hendricks.