A highlight-reel finish wasn’t enough to keep Paulo Costa satisfied after UFC 327. The Brazilian moved up to light heavyweight, knocked out an unbeaten fighter, and still walked away frustrated because of the money. In a card stacked with chaos, Costa delivered one of the cleanest finishes of the night, stopping Azamat Murzakanov with a head kick and extending a stat that already defines him, a 57% KO/TKO rating inside the Octagon.

Yet when the bonuses were handed out, his name wasn’t there. Instead, the spotlight and the extra cash went to Josh Hokit, whose wild three-round war with Curtis Blaydes broke records and stole attention. “Hey Josh Hokit, you got my BONUS MTFK,” Costa fired off on X.

“I gonna fu– u up next time ur f— bum” “Fight Deez Nutz…,” Hokit responded, “but yes of course, I got like 20% body fat but don’t get it twisted my Incredible Hok Juice is far more superior then your Secret Juice” “Fat a— you owe me 100K bonus #danawhite @POTUS,” was the biggest shot from Costa as he dragged in both UFC boss Dana White and President Donald Trump into this unlikely feud. To be fair, Hokit’s case is strong. His fight against Curtis Blaydes was historic as the two heavyweights combined for 354 significant strikes, the highest ever in a UFC heavyweight fight.

That’s not normal for that division. Heavyweights usually don’t maintain that kind of pace for three rounds. Hokit also picked up both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night, becoming the first fighter in the $100K bonus era to do both on the same card.

Fat ass you owe me 100k bônus . #danawhite @POTUS https://t.co/xol9i9HiQU pic.twitter.com/g1II1K6G1g — Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 13, 2026 But the Brazilian’s frustration comes from a different place. He did what fighters are always told to do: finish fights, make it decisive, and leave no doubt. And he did it against a previously unbeaten opponent who was riding a 16-fight win streak.

Yet in a card filled with chaos, his moment got overshadowed by volume and spectacle. In fact, all through the fight week, Hokit made noise. He grabbed microphones, switched personas, took shots at multiple fighters, danced on the Octagon girls at the weigh-ins, and drew mixed reactions, including a lukewarm response from Dana White himself.

But White also made one thing clear: performance matters most. And on fight night, ‘The Incredible Hok’ delivered. Paulo Costa did receive a $25,000 finish bonus, but compared to the double payout Hokit secured, it’s easy to see why he feels shortchanged.

Especially when his knockout arguably had more immediate consequences in the division, possibly launching him straight into the light heavyweight title conversation. So now what? You have a proven contender demanding respect and a rising name creating noise.

Whether they ever meet or not, the tension adds another layer to both of their trajectories. But the bonus was only a part of the story as Josh Hokit has now secured a spot on the UFC White House card! Josh Hokit secures White House fight against Derrick Lewis with UFC 327 performance Less than an hour after his war with Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327, Dana White made it official: Hokit is heading straight into another high-stakes matchup.

He’s been booked against Derrick Lewis for UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. That’s a quick turnaround, especially considering what he just went through. In fact, Hokit didn’t even make it to the post-fight press duties.

He needed medical transport immediately after. That alone raises questions. Can he recover in time? Will there be a suspension?

Two months isn’t a long window when your body has just gone through that kind of damage. Still, the UFC isn’t waiting. This booking says a lot about how the promotion views him right now.

Three fights into his UFC run, now 9-0 overall, and he’s already being pushed into a matchup with a veteran like Lewis. ‘The Black Beast’, with a 3-2 record in his last five, is still one of the most recognizable heavyweights on the roster and, notably, a known favorite of President Donald Trump. So while Paulo Costa is still talking about bonuses, Hokit is already moving forward.

One is asking for recognition. The other is being placed directly into another spotlight.