Paulo Costa states UFC denied request for interim title fight at UFC 332

Paulo Costa says the UFC rejected his request to fight for an interim light heavyweight championship at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City on October 3, 2026. The event is headlined by a vacant women’s flyweight title bout between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong. Costa claims he offered to compete for the interim belt to bolster the card, noting that current light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg is injured and potentially unavailable until the second half of 2027. He contends that the organization lacks consistent standards regarding title management, citing the recent decision to strip Valentina Shevchenko of her belt. As Costa enters the final bout of his current contract, he plans to compete in a standard three-round fight before entering free agency. The UFC has not issued a statement regarding his claims or the scheduling of the Salt Lake City event.

• 3:00 AMYahoo Sports — Paulo Costa: UFC refused to book interim light heavyweight title fight for UFC 332