It looks like Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori will compete at a catchweight this weekend.
The pair were scheduled for a middleweight headliner at UFC Vegas 41 this Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
However, both fighters have now agreed to a catchweight of 195 pounds as they took part in a joint interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto on Wednesday.
You can watch the exchange below:
Paulo: “I am ready to fight this Saturday Marvin or someother guy I dont care for weight, I dont care who are you – I need to face on Saturday.”
Marvin: “How is even that possible that like you know we’re supposed to fight at 185 and he comes in a week out you come in at 215lbs, how was that possible.”
Paulo: “When I came to fight I came in heavy, I always came in heavy to fight. You have a problem with that?”
Marvin: “It’s not about a problem you know, I said that I can fight anyway but you know there is you know everyone goes through weight cut. this is part of our job.”
Paulo: “I always make my weight one day five and I have no problem with that and when people want to make a catchweight, I agree, I am inside. I dont care for weight.”
Marvin: “I dont care for weight too, this is part of out job. I’ve been cutting weight too, I’ve been in a diet for the last two months and half and I came in at the right weight. If you would have told me lets make this a 185, I could have made it at 185. I have been on diet, I have scarificing.”
Marvin: “Lets do 195, can you make it.?”
Paulo: “Lets do 195.”
In a joint interview with @bokamotoESPN, @BorrachinhaMMA and @MarvinVettori agreed to fight at a catchweight of 195 pounds at #UFCVegas41 pic.twitter.com/RMP9TmQedW
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 21, 2021
As for the fight actually going ahead as a catchweight? It appears to be the case as per MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin.
“Marvin Vettori vs. Paulo Costa will move ahead as a catchweight bout, per UFC officials. Exact details still being hashed out but I was told ‘the fight is on.'”
Marvin Vettori vs. Paulo Costa will move ahead as a catchweight bout, per UFC officials.
Exact details still being hashed out but I was told "the fight is on" #UFCVegas41
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) October 21, 2021
Costa Unable To Make 186-Pound Limit
As for why the change in weight? Costa simply couldn’t make 186 pounds.
“The Eraser” made headlines earlier at media day when he revealed he weighed 212 pounds just two days before Friday’s weigh-ins. The only way a fight would happen was at a catchweight.
Paulo Costa, currently 211 pounds, says he won't make 186 for Saturday's main event.
"Maybe we can do a catchweight of 195."#UFCVegas41 | Full video: https://t.co/2kwJyf3xZJ pic.twitter.com/wsMh6zzMRP
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 20, 2021
“I think this fight will happen – it just will not happen if he does not want to fight me,” Costa said (via MMA Junkie). “Maybe we can do a catchweight. Ninety kilos (approximately 198 pounds), maybe. I think making this fight (at a catchweight) could be more exciting to the fans – more explosive fight because I want to go bring the fight for him. Maybe he wants to bring the fight to me. So, I think with both guys heavy, this knockout can happen easily.
“… It’s not on the schedule to make 185 anymore. It’s another weight above that, but I’m not exactly sure which weight yet.”
To his credit, Vettori was willing to fight Costa at any weight, but it’s now looking like it will be a 195-pound contest. An announcement should be expected soon.
