Paulo Costa is keeping his options wide open ahead of UFC 327, signaling he’s willing to bounce between middleweight and light heavyweight as his career moves forward.
Costa is set to face Azamat Murzakanov in the light heavyweight co-main event on Wednesday at UFC 327. A win for Murzakanov would move him to 7-0 in the UFC, while Costa, who once competed for the UFC middleweight title, continues his current run at 205 pounds.
“Oh yeah, 100 percent,” Costa said when asked about fighting in both divisions. “I’m not fighting at 205 because I can’t make 185, this is not the case. I planned that and I just saw a good opportunity to fight at light heavyweight and I said, ‘Why not?’ I can fight in both divisions, both weight classes at the same time, and be a contender at both of them. So why not?”
Costa described the lifestyle difference at the higher weight. “The fact to not even think about your next meal is something different,” he said. “Even mentally, it’s less stressful and you can enjoy life more.”
Still, he insists he’s ready to sacrifice again for 185 pounds. “If I need to do sacrifice to make 185 I can do and I’m going to do,” Costa said. “If I have some goal to achieve, I’m going to follow and chase and I’m going to achieve them, so that’s the high-performance athlete’s mindset.”
Looking at UFC 327, Costa added, “I think the winner of this fight can be in a very good spot. Can be the next title shot contender.”
