UFC Vegas 41: Paulo Costa unable to make weight for Marvin Vettori fight scheduled at the main event

UFC Vegas 41: Paulo Costa unable to make weight for Marvin Vettori fight scheduled at the main event

Paulo Costa and Marvi Vettori

Paulo Costa is in a contentious position for his upcoming fight against Marvin Vettori as the two are fighting as the main event of UFC Vegas 41 taking place on October 23, 2021, at UFC Apex, Las Vegas, the USA. The issue with Costa is that he currently weighs 211 pounds and seems to face difficulty to make 185 pounds, the official weight for a middleweight bout. This cannot be surprising in terms of how huge and dense Paulo Costa is for a middleweight. His physique is similar to that of Yoel Romero.

Both Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori are coming off a loss to Israel Adesanya, failing to dethrone the current middleweight champion, the former title challengers are made to square off against each other now. Costa last fought in the September of last year while Vettori last fought in June of this year. This is an opportunity for the winner to get another title shot in line with Derek Brunson and Jared Cannonier.

What’s next from Paulo Costa to keep the Marvin Vettori fight

Paulo Costa vs Marvin Vettori
Paulo Costa vs Marvin Vettori

“I think this fight will happen,” Costa said. “It just will not happen if he doesn’t want to fight me. Maybe we can do a catchweight 195 [pounds] maybe but I think to make this fight [205 pounds] could be more exciting to the fans. More explosive fight cause I want to go bring the fight for him. Maybe he wants to bring the fight to me. I think with both guys heavy, this knockout can happen easily.”

The fight is hard to make it happen now until and unless Vettori agrees to a catchweight or light-heavyweight. It’s not on Vettori if the fight doesn’t happen now, since the two contracted to fight at the middleweight. But the show must go on is what everyone involved in the show can preach and practice.

Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa

So on his side, Costa is just hopeful his team can come to terms with Vettori and the UFC on a new weight for the fight, which is now just three days away. Negotiations to keep the fight on the card are still ongoing but Costa’s manager Wallid Ismail told The MMA Hour that he’s confident they’ll eventually come to terms with Vettori to make the fight happen.

“We’re going to finalize the deal, how it’s going to work, the catchweight, but let me arrive there,” Ismail said on Wednesday. “But the most important now is [Costa] needs to give his best to show the world what he’s about. We cannot talk much, just the time of the fight. It’s going to be a catchweight, this is for sure.”

Also Read: Israel Adesanya uncovers he DM’d Paulo Costa after their battle with some favourable advice