Paulo Costa calls out Kamaru Usman after loss to Robert Whittaker: “Looks interesting”

Paulo Costa has his eyes set on former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman for his next fight.

Costa is coming off a decision loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 in a very competitive fight, which also served as Paulo’s first scrap since August of 2022. Although the Brazilian didn’t get his hand raised, his stock went up in the loss and now he’s already campaigning for his next fight.

Not even a week after his last Octagon appearance, Paulo Costa took to social media to call for a fight with Kamaru Usman, as he believes he could finish the former champ.

https://twitter.com/BorrachinhaMMA/status/1760843328218956017

“Usman 185 lbs looks interesting. Gourmet Chen Chen couldn’t finish him even short notice . I might,” Costa wrote.

If Kamaru Usman does decide to stay at middleweight a fight against Paulo Costa does make sense. Both men are coming off competitive decision losses, and the winner would be right back in the title picture at 185lbs. However, it’s uncertain if Usman will want to remain at middleweight after he moved up to face Khamzat Chimaev on short notice back in October.

If Usman doesn’t stay at middleweight, many fans will be happy to see Costa already calling for his next fight, as the Brazilian hasn’t been as active as many have wanted him to be.

Paulo Costa (14-3) is coming off the loss to Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 and before that, he scored a decision win over Luke Rockhold in August of 2022. The victory over Rockhold had snapped a two-fight losing skid, this after previously dropping a decision to Marvin Vettori and being TKO’d by Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title. In his career, he holds notable wins over Yoel Romero, Uriah Hall, and Johny Hendricks.

Kamaru Usman, meanwhile, is 20-4 and on a three-fight losing skid as he dropped a majority decision to Khamzat Chimaev back in October in a fight he took on short notice. Before that, he dropped a decision to Leon Edwards and was knocked out by Edwards to lose his title. Usman had defended his welterweight title five times.