Dana White addressed recent remarks from top UFC light heavyweight contender Paulo Costa on Tuesday. Costa, who holds a 16-4 MMA record and 8-4 in the UFC, expressed frustration on social media about his negotiations with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell. He claimed that Campbell was only proposing five-round fights, while his contract supposedly covers three-round bouts, leading to dissatisfaction over the terms being offered.
When questioned about Costa’s tweets during DWCS 93 at Meta APEX, White reiterated his usual stance that fighters are typically offered around three fights per year, emphasizing that Costa is no exception. However, White did not specifically respond to Costa’s issue regarding the number of rounds in his contract.
White told MMA Junkie and other media, “Yeah, Paulo is frustrated. He’s been offered fights but declined them. We don’t just disregard Paulo Costa or refuse to pay him or deny him fights. Fighters regularly get three fight offers annually, even those who are not currently active. For example, Tom Aspinall has eye issues but still receives fight offers. So you think Paulo Costa isn’t being offered fights?”
Costa’s future in the UFC remains uncertain. At 35 years old, he has risen as a serious contender since moving to the light heavyweight division. In his latest tweet, Costa revealed he has only one fight left on his UFC contract and requested to be released from it. How this dispute ultimately unfolds remains to be seen.
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This story was originally published on MMA Junkie: Dana White responds to Paulo Costa’s ask for UFC release.
Fan Take: This situation highlights ongoing tensions between fighters and UFC management regarding contract terms and fight opportunities, which is crucial for fans to understand the business side of the sport. How it resolves could set an important precedent for fighter negotiations and the promotion’s handling of contracted athletes moving forward.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
