Paulo Costa believes UFC 332 could have been saved with an interim light heavyweight title fight.
With UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko injured, she relinquished her belt, giving Natalia Silva and Wang Cong the chance to fight for the vacant title in the Oct. 3 main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City (Paramount+/CBS).
UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg (14-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL, which he suffered in his title-winning knockout of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 327 in April. Although it's been just five months, Costa wanted the UFC to move on by putting him in an interim title fight.
"UFC stripped Valentina out From her Belt due injury. Also Carlos Ulberg is
injured and MAYBE fight second semester 2027 .
Put the LHW interim belt in line and I WILL COME TO SAVE THE LHW DIVISION !
UFC REFUSED TO PUT LHW INTERIM BELT IN LINE . Why? I don't know."
UFC stripped Valentina out From her Belt due injury. Also Carlos ulber is injured and MAYBE fight second semester 2027 .
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) September 5, 2026
Put the LHW interim belt in line and I WILL COME TO SAVE THE LHW DIVISION !
UFC REFUSED TO PUT LWH INTERIM BELT IN LINE . Why? Idont know . https://t.co/dvuxG9L9lQ
Costa (16-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has just one win at light heavyweight, a TKO of formerly unbeaten Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327, but he's been campaigning for a title shot.
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) September 4, 2026
The former middleweight title challenger has just one fight left on his UFC contract. So, if it's not an interim title fight, then what's next?
"I have only one fight to become free agent . If there no belt in line I gonna fight someone else for 3 rds and get out of the ufc contract."
I have only one fight to become free agent . If there no belt in line I gonna fight someone else for 3 rds and get out of the ufc contract
— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) September 5, 2026
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Paulo Costa points out UFC double standard, ready to 'save' light heavyweight division
