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Paulo Costa has put the UFC on the clock, saying it has three ways to resolve the final fight on his current contract: book a three-round light heavyweight bout, pay him more for five rounds, or release him now. The Brazilian says he will face any 205-pound opponent, as long as the deal matches the terms he says were already agreed.

Paulo Costa, 35, has made his UFC contract dispute public again, this time with a direct three-option proposal aimed at UFC executive Hunter Campbell. In a post dated September 18 from Las Vegas, Costa said he has one fight left on his UFC deal and claimed his purse was set for a three-round contest. The former middleweight title challenger said he is asking for that contracted format and is willing to take on any fighter on the UFC light heavyweight roster.

Paulo Costa Gives UFC Three Options Over Final Contract Fight

“Ok, I’m making this public and clear,” The Brazilian athlete wrote. “I have 1 fight left. On my contract The purse is set for 3 rounds, not 5. I’m asking for the 3-round fight that was already agreed on contract. It can be anyone on the UFC LHW roster.” Costa’s first option is simple: book his remaining bout over three rounds. There is no opponent condition attached. He said he will accept anyone at light heavyweight, which shifts the focus from matchmaking to getting a date and contract structure agreed.

Costa‘s second option concerns a five-round fight. He said he would accept a main-event-length contest at 205 pounds against any opponent if it takes place in six weeks, but only if the UFC raises his purse. “I’ll take it, BUT raise my purse accordingly,” The 35-year-old wrote. “That’s the minimum that’s fair, right?”

The difference is significant. A standard UFC non-title fight usually runs three five-minute rounds, while a main event or title bout can go five rounds. Costa’s argument is that a deal negotiated for 15 minutes should not automatically become a 25-minute assignment without revised pay.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell interacts with UFC CEO Dana White during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Hunter Campbell is the UFC’s chief business officer and a central figure in its fighter business, including contract negotiations and matchmaking alongside Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby. A Las Vegas-raised lawyer, Campbell joined the UFC in 2017 after working as Dana White’s personal attorney and later serving as the promotion’s general counsel; he became chief business officer in 2019. In 2026 court testimony, Campbell described his role plainly: “I run the fight business,” while White oversees the company as a whole.

In a separate post, Costa said he would not take “five rounds for the price of three.” He previously claimed Campbell had not offered him a standard three-round fight and had suggested there might not be an available opponent until next year. Costa has framed the dispute as a business issue rather than a refusal to compete. He is offering the UFC two ways to keep him active: honour the existing three-round arrangement, or make a new financial agreement for a five-round booking.

The final choice Costa gave the UFC was immediate release from his contract. “C) Release me from my contract now. Simple and clean,” Costa wrote, closing the post by saying he hoped everyone understood. Costa has already said he sought his release multiple times, including after UFC 332 developments.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JULY 19: Paulo Costa of Brazil (L) and Roman Kopylov of Russia exchange strikes during their middleweight bout during UFC 318: Holloway vs Poirier 3 at the Smoothie King Center on July 19, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

According to his account, UFC officials declined and told him to complete one more fight. That remaining fight has become the central issue: Costa says he wants to finish the deal, but he does not want a five-round commitment on three-round money. The UFC has not publicly responded to Costa’s latest terms as of September 21.

Costa has not fought since his April UFC 327 win over Azamat Murzakanov, where he reportedly knocked out the previously unbeaten Russian with a head kick. That victory placed him among the leading names at light heavyweight, yet a follow-up contest has not been announced. He had also campaigned for a place in the UFC 332 title picture before that avenue closed. Costa has since made clear that he is searching for a meaningful fight, but his latest post shows he is willing to take any available light heavyweight if it gets his final contracted appearance settled.

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