Eddie Hearn’s roster of UFC fighters appears to have a new addition in the form of Paulo Costa. The former middleweight title challenger is set to join Matchroom Talent Agency alongside reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and Ian Machado Garry.
The Brazilian recently revealed that he has parted ways with longtime manager Tiki Ghosn and is now ready to start a new chapter. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Costa revealed that he is set to begin a new managerial partnership with Hearn.
Costa revealed that Hearn sent him the contract a few days before his UFC 332 controversy erupted. He also confirmed that Hearn will handle both his sponsorships and managerial duties moving forward.
He said, “Yes, both! The whole thing. I have too much respect for what he’s doing. He’s a great guy, a great professional. I think we’re going to do great things together.”
Costa added, “He’s a super important person in the fight business. Not only in MMA, but not only in boxing, but he’s coming to MMA right now. I think this is a great acquisition for the MMA community.”
🚨PAULO COSTA JUST ANNOUNCED HE IS OFFICIALLY SIGNED WITH EDDIE HEARN! 🥶😳
🗣️ “Yes man, that was a great, great meeting with Eddie Hearn. He is a great guy. I’m so excited. I think we’re gonna do great things together. Great things.”
🗣️ “The contract is for him to be my manager and handle my sponsorships. I have too much respect for what he’s doing. He’s a great guy.”
🎥 Via/{@arielhelwani} 🔹
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) September 9, 2026
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For the unversed, Costa becomes the third fighter after Aspinall and Garry to join Hearn’s newly created MMA talent agency. The development comes amid a growing feud between Hearn and Dana White, with the two promoters going back and forth following White’s involvement with Zuffa Boxing.
Costa was naturally asked whether his new partnership could have any impact on his UFC situation, especially with the promotion yet to book his final fight under his current contract. However, he doesn’t seem too concerned about the ongoing feud between Hearn and White.
He explained, “I don’t think so because I don’t put too much attention on this beef between them both. If they have this bad blood between them, it’s not about me, you know? We’re professionals, guys.”
Costa then weighed in on the ongoing rivalry between Oscar De La Hoya and White. Interestingly, the two promoters appear to be putting their differences aside to work on Ryan Garcia vs. Conor Benn for the WBC welterweight title on September 12 in Las Vegas. Garcia is signed to De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, while Benn is signed to Zuffa Boxing.
He added, “I’m just seeing Ryan Garcia fight this guy (Benn), and I think he’s still represented by Oscar (De La Hoya), right? And Oscar had that beef against Dana. I think they are very professional, much more than we thought. They can do business together and at the same time, talk shit about each other.”
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The development comes amid Costa’s ongoing contractual complaints with the UFC. Since beating Azamat Murzakanov in April, the Brazilian has struggled to secure his next fight. He recently expressed his frustration after the UFC rejected his request to compete for the interim light heavyweight title at UFC 332.
On top of that, Costa’s request to be released from his contract was also denied by the promotion, as he revealed during the same interview.
With Hearn now representing him, it will be interesting to see whether Costa’s interests are better served as he looks to secure his next UFC fight and navigate the final stretch of his current contract.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
