Antonio Carlos Jr. Not Happy That Paulo Costa Ranked Ahead Of Him, Wants To Fight Costa

Antonio Carlos Jr. has spent the last four-plus years competing in the UFC, earning a record of 7-2-0-1NC in the promotion.  

Fellow Brazilian Paulo Costa has spent just over a year in the UFC and has a record of 4-0-0 in the organization. Costa is also ranked higher right now in the UFC Middleweight Division rankings and the longer tenured Carlos Jr. isn’t exactly thrilled about that. 

“I watched the recent fight between Paulo Costa and Uriah Hall,” Carlos Jr. told MMA Junkie. “It was a great fight! Both men stood toe-to-toe, and Paulo came off with another win by knockout. Awesome. Congrats to him. And now Paulo is being touted as the next big thing. Maybe he will confirm that. I have simply nothing against this young man. He is just doing his job. But how could it be that he is ranked, above me, for example? I was the ‘TUF: Brazil 3’ heavyweight champ. I am now 9-2 in the UFC, with five wins by submission, and I have fought very tough customers along the way! Like I said, nothing whatsoever against ‘Borrachinha,’ but something is way out of line here. This young man has fought only four times. I have more submission wins then he has fights in the UFC.” 

Carlos Jr. is sitting at #11 in the middleweight rankings right now, while Costa is ahead of him at the #8 position. 

The lower ranked Brazilian fighter has a solution to this dilemma, which is for him to fight Costa in the main event of UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo later this year. 

“This is hurting me, and my brothers in arms,” Carlos Jr. said. “If ‘Borrachinha’ is to be ranked above me, he should beat me. I heard Dana responding to a journalist that he might consider Paulo Costa for the main event in Sao Paulo? I think I deserve that spot, so let me fight Paulo Costa in that main event. Justice will be served. If he can beat me, then – and only then – can he be ranked above me.” 

UFC Fight Night Sao Paulo takes place on Saturday, September 22 from the Ibirapeuroa Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil with no main event announced at this time. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which airs live on Fox Sports 1.