Paulo Costa banned from middleweight division until cleared by CSAC

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender Paulo Costa, who is expected to get the next crack at the 185-pound crown, has been banned from competing in the middleweight division in California unless first cleared by the state athletic commission.

That’s according to a report from Steven Marrocco, which also has Sabina Mazo, Brandon Davis, Kyung Ho Kang, Manny Bermudez, and Sodiq Yusuff forced to move up in weight after violating the commission’s rehydration rule. In short, fighters who regain 15 percent (or more) of their weight between weigh ins and fight night are automatically flagged.

Costa was rounded up from 14.9 percent.

“If those fighters wish to fight below the weight class that CSAC moved them to, then they will have to enroll in a nutrition program and work with the (UFC Performance Institute or a similar place) to address their weight/weight gain,” CSAC representative Patrisha Blackstock told MMA Junkie. “Their nutrition program and findings from the PI will have to be sent to CSAC for review and approval before the fighters are moved down in weight class.”

Costa, 28, remains undefeated in his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career at 13-0 and is coming off his biggest win to date, thanks to a “Fight of the Night” against Yoel Romero at UFC 241 earlier this month in Anaheim.