5 reasons why Paulo Costa deserves to continue fighting at middleweight
UFC Fight Night: Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori was a hotly anticipated event. Both fighters were No.1 contenders at one point but were bested by champion Israel Adesanya.
Paulo Costa was set to fight for the first time in over a year. However, things started to unravel as fight week came around. The Brazilian announced that he wouldn't be able to make the 185-lbs limit. Negotiations began, and the UFC announced that the fight would happen at a catchweight of 195 pounds.
Marvin Vettori agreed and 'The Eraser' was fined. He would have to forfeit 20% of his earnings. Soon after the announcement, things changed again.
Executive Vice President of the UFC, Hunter Campbell, later announced that Costa could not make the 195-lbs limit either. The fight would now be at 205 lbs. 'The Italian Dream' berated Costa for being unprofessional but accepted the changes nonetheless.
On October 23, 2021, the two men fought in a spectacular five-round brawl. Vettori beat Costa and earned a $50,000 'Performance of the Night' bonus.
Dana White praised Vettori during the post-fight press conference. He also said 'Borrachinha' must fight at light heavyweight from now on. While the Brazilian has caused inconveniences before, such as refusing to fight Jared Cannonier over compensation, this is the first time he has missed weight.
White's decision may have been too harsh, considering that Costa was already fined. Forcing him to fight at light heavyweight may also hinder his performance. So here are five reasons why Paulo Costa deserves to remain at middleweight.
#5. Paulo Costa may not be able to carry over his knockout power
Since turning pro, the Brazilian has won 13 of his 15 fights. A look at those victories makes it clear that he is a knockout artist. 11 of his 13 wins are by KO or TKO. He finished his first nine opponents in the first round.
Paulo Costa has scary power. He went toe-to-toe with Yoel Romero and even knocked him down, a feat few have been able to achieve. Even middleweight champion Israel Adesanya did not blindly go into a striking contest with the Cuban.
However, at 205 lbs, the Brazilian will face bigger opponents who are accustomed to such power. Being able to land knockout punches also depends on how well a fighter can position himself. That's when reach comes into play and Costa has a short reach of 72''. Jan Blachowicz, Aleksandar Rakic, Jiri Prochazka and others have a significant reach advantage over the Brazilian.
Conor McGregor is a good example. While he easily TKO'd Poirier at 145lbs, Poirier walked through some of his best strikes in their second and third fights at 155lbs. Forcing Paulo Costa to fight in a heavier weight class may also rob him of his formidable power.