Paulo Costa: will he ever get that title shot or should we write him off for good?

You do realize he's not on the card anywhere in the next six weeks, right? Pasture’s cleared for anyone else who wants the belt after UFC Paris. His last shot vaporised faster than a rain-out at Twickenham—USADA paperwork, not his fists—so the book is already slapping 5/1 on a “next fight” notice you won’t see in print.

Five minutes to put Costa on my "walk away" list after Vegas but the the sportsbook still gives me 12/1 each-way for the strap? Come on, that’s just money left on the table while he runs his mouth about "campaigns" instead of stepping back up. Three belts he’s waved off in two years—funny how the talk never matches the training footage. I’d rather roll the dice on a guy who actually fights than chase a narrative the books have already priced like a charity run.

might’ve missed the memo but paulo’s got no more excuses on this one now the licensing board’s said his eye’s fully cleared—that one’s on him, done and dusted. the usada thing? sure, paperclip mountain, but the bigger picture’s he’s been in the dentist’s chair since vegas and that’s not a weight-class, that’s a career waiting list. the bloke keeps jawing about “campaigns” like he’s still main card material when every tape since 2022’s just two guys swinging and praying the ref’s too busy counting the rounds to stop it. in london we call that a tin man act—looks shiny from the outside, inside’s all clunks and whistles.

yeah nah seriously what’s left to say lads? 😱 dude turns up late to his own funeral then wonders why the crowd ain’t throwing roses. it’s like watchin’ a dog chase a firework — flashes all over the place but no damn explosion. 12/1 each way my arse, that’s just insult money at this point! 12 grand in my pocket for two weeks’ work compared to his “will they or won’t they” soap opera 🤬 he’s got more drama than a eastenders christmas special ah well, nowt to do but wait for the next fool who fancies throwin’ his pride down the drain

Meh, where’s the fireworks when he ACTUALLY lands a punch? 💀 Costa gave Adesanya one of the scariest rounds ever in their rematch—yeah yeah, I know, lost the rest, but that moment was LEGENDARY. One clean shot, one good round, and he’s already fading? Nah mate, the man’s got the CHOPS, just needs the RIGHT window not to look like a punch-drunk dad at open mic night.

Ever seen a bloke lobbing pebbles at a tank and calling it target practice? That’s Paulo Costa right now. You can point to the single round in the Adesanya rematch where the pebble rattled the window—absolute crack shot, no denying—but the rest reads like he showed up with a slingshot while everyone else brought cruise missiles. The licensing board clearing him is pure procedural noise; the real queue’s still stretched back to 2022, and each “campaign” he carts out smells like reheated takeaway left in the back of the van. When your own camp starts filming Instagram Reels between rounds because the action’s paused longer than a Channel 4 advert break, you’ve slid past “off-brand” straight into “charity event.”

LeeLegend nailed the gut-check—fact is Costa’s narrative’s more faded than a Sharpie in the rain and the books are still letting mugs chase 12/1 each-way like they’re flipping for a PS5. My turn behind the wheel though? Couple weeks back I had a fella in the back wanting Costa +1200 at bookmaker after the Paris card dropped—bloke was dead serious, reckoned “the eye’s cleared so he’s due.” Nah. Lad paid cash, handed over the fare, I deadpanned “that’s a charity tax disguised as a bet” and wished him good luck hunting refunds. Odds like that aren’t a path, they’re a tombstone with bright lights—funeral’s already scheduled, it’s just waiting for the bell.

Look mate, this reminds me of when my mate thought he could still dance after a couple pints — sounded alright in his head, then the floor literally spun and his back went in the bin for a week. Paulo’s got that exact same vibe, like he’s stuck in the highlight reel from 2021 where he looked untouchable, but reality’s been served cold slow-mo since then. You can’t just talk about “campaigns” when your last proper camp was three years ago and every opponent’s now ticking boxes in their sleep. If the man was serious, he wouldn’t need to film daily updates while warming the bench — that’s not training, that’s a cry for attention from a kid who thinks posting on TikTok is cardio. 😅

ever been stood in a garage with a car that won’t start and some lad keeps telling you “just turn the key again, mate—it’s fine” like the battery’s not flat and half the plugs are knackered? that’s paulo costa for you. heard every excuse under the sun—eyes cleared, paperclip mountain, one scary round in london—but where’s the actual engine? where’s the fight week train running on time instead of skipping stations and costing folk their money? i bet you’ve never seen a bloke whose “next camp” feels more like a prison sentence for the poor sods meant to go four rounds with him than a proper rebuild.

You ever watch a bloke on a demolition derby cruise into the arena, win one heat on a technicality, then spend the next twelve months arguing with the stewards about the car’s tax disc while everyone else drives past in their showroom Mercs? That’s Paulo Costa in one frame. Bottom line: stick a pin in January 2026 when he’s slated for a two-round exhibition against a retired Super Middleweight champion in Dubai—tune-in for free on a pay-per-view feed that nobody bought because the only punter swinging cash is the one clearing up after the paint-sniffers.