No. 7 ranked UFC middleweight Brazilian fighter Paulo Costa said he has received an offer to fight former division champion American Sean Strickland.
Costa told YouTube channel The Coach And The Casual:
I love the idea of fighting Cannonier, and [the UFC] suggested I fight in June.But then, the UFC came back and said, ‘Paulo, you fight Sean Strickland on June 1.' It’s a fun fight, even more fun than Cannonier, I think. Unfortunately, I don’t know what happened – Strickland said no.
"I never say no... I say how much," Strickland responded on social media.
Costa, 32, last fought at UFC 298 in February 2024, losing to Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision. He has 14 wins and three losses on his record.
Strickland, 33, last stepped into the octagon in January 2024 at UFC 297, losing to Dricus du Plessis by split decision. He has 28 wins and six losses on his record.
