Paulo Costa Bio
Paulo Henrique Costa (born 21 April 1991) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of 19 August 2025, he is ranked #13 in the UFC middleweight rankings. Known by the nickname “Borrachinha,” Costa has built a reputation as one of the most physically imposing fighters in the sport, competing at a height of 183 cm and a reach of 183 cm.
Throughout his career, Costa has been recognized for his aggressive striking style and knockout power. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has trained with several prominent teams, including Fight Ready, where he has been based since 2017. His professional record stands at 15 wins and 4 losses across 19 total matches, with victories coming by knockout, submission, and decision.
Early Life and Background
Paulo Henrique Costa was born on 21 April 1991 in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, the son of Carlos Roberto and Maria Augusta. His father worked as an odd-jobber, and the family faced financial hardships during Paulo’s upbringing. He grew up in the neighboring city of Contagem, where he spent much of his childhood playing football. Paulo has an older brother, Carlos Costa, a former mixed martial artist who would later become one of his coaches and a significant influence on his martial arts career.
At the age of nine, Paulo began training in Muay Thai as a way to learn discipline and avoid the street fights he frequently found himself involved in. As a teenager, he joined a jiu-jitsu gym alongside his brother, but he eventually quit the sport after his father passed away from throat cancer when Paulo was 17 years old. During this period, Paulo also worked in real estate and as an IT teacher, instructing courses in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel to help his mother manage household expenses.
A couple of years after leaving jiu-jitsu, Costa returned to the sport and began competing under the guidance of his brother, who was already a purple belt at the time. This return to training marked the beginning of his serious pursuit of martial arts as a career path.
Path to MMA
Costa’s transition into professional mixed martial arts came in February 2012, when he made his professional debut in his native Brazil. His brother played a pivotal role in encouraging him to pursue the sport full-time, eventually convincing their mother to support Paulo financially for a year so he could focus on his training and competition.
Over the next five years, Costa compiled an impressive undefeated record of 8-0, with seven of those victories coming by knockout and one by submission. This streak caught the attention of the UFC, and he was selected to compete on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3. In the opening elimination round, he defeated José Roberto via submission by guillotine choke in the second round. He was the second middleweight fighter chosen by coach Wanderlei Silva. His next fight on the show was against Márcio Alexandre Jr., where Costa suffered a split decision loss after three rounds.
Paulo Costa Career
Early Career (2012-2017)
Before joining the UFC, Costa established himself on the Brazilian regional MMA scene, building an unbeaten record through his early professional years. His reputation as a knockout artist grew with each victory, and his performances on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 further raised his profile among international fight fans.
In November 2016, he faced additional competition that helped prepare him for the highest level of the sport. His training during this period included stints with Team Nogueira, Champion Team, and Clube Atlético Mineiro, each contributing to his development as a well-rounded mixed martial artist.
UFC Breakthrough (2017-2019)
Costa made his promotional debut on 11 March 2017, at UFC Fight Night 106 against Garreth McLellan, winning the fight via TKO in the first round and earning his first Performance of the Night award. He followed this with another TKO victory over Oluwale Bamgbose on 3 June 2017, at UFC 212. After a contract dispute with the promotion, Costa faced former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks on 4 November 2017, at UFC 217, winning via TKO in the second round and subsequently signing a new multi-fight deal with the UFC.
His rise continued in 2018 with a technical knockout victory over Uriah Hall at UFC 226, earning his second Performance of the Night award. Costa’s biggest career moment came on 17 August 2019, at UFC 241, where he defeated Yoel Romero via unanimous decision in a thrilling contest that earned him the Fight of the Night award. This victory extended his UFC win streak to five fights and positioned him as a top contender in the middleweight division.
Title Shot and Recent Years (2020-Present)
On the strength of his five-fight UFC win streak, Costa faced Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship on 27 September 2020 at UFC 253. He lost the fight via technical knockout in the second round, marking his first professional loss. Following this defeat, Costa moved up to the light heavyweight division and faced Marvin Vettori on 23 October 2021, at UFC Fight Night 196, where he lost by unanimous decision after missing weight significantly.
Costa returned to the win column on 30 July 2022, at UFC 278, defeating former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold via unanimous decision and earning another Fight of the Night award. In 2024, he faced former champions Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 and Sean Strickland at UFC 302, losing both by decision. On 19 July 2025, at UFC 318, Costa defeated Roman Kopylov by unanimous decision, marking his most recent victory.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Paulo Costa’s career are his UFC debut knockout of Garreth McLellan, his Fight of the Night battle with Yoel Romero at UFC 241, and his title challenge against Israel Adesanya at UFC 253. He has earned multiple Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses throughout his UFC tenure, reflecting his status as one of the promotion’s most exciting fighters.
Paulo Costa Career Wins
Paulo Costa has accumulated 15 professional victories across his mixed martial arts career, competing in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. His wins have come by a variety of methods, showcasing his well-rounded skill set inside the cage.
UFC Highlights
In the UFC specifically, Costa has recorded multiple victories, including stoppage wins over Garreth McLellan, Oluwale Bamgbose, Johny Hendricks, and Uriah Hall during his early promotional run. His most recent UFC victory came on 19 July 2025, when he defeated Roman Kopylov by unanimous decision at UFC 318. He has also secured notable decision wins over Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold, both of which earned him Fight of the Night honors.
Paulo Costa Family
Family Background and Fighting Lineage
Paulo Costa was raised in a working-class family in Belo Horizonte and Contagem, Minas Gerais, by his parents Carlos Roberto and Maria Augusta. His father, who worked as an odd-jobber, passed away from throat cancer when Paulo was 17 years old, a tragedy that temporarily pulled him away from jiu-jitsu training.
His older brother, Carlos Costa, is a former mixed martial artist who became one of Paulo’s primary coaches and a key figure in his martial arts development. It was Carlos who encouraged Paulo to return to jiu-jitsu and later supported his decision to pursue MMA professionally, including convincing their mother to back Paulo financially during his early career.
2025 Season Performance
Paulo Costa’s 2025 campaign began with a scheduled bout against Roman Kopylov originally planned for UFC 317 on 28 June 2025. The fight was later moved to UFC 318, where it took place on 19 July 2025. Costa won the contest by unanimous decision, adding another victory to his professional record and demonstrating improved conditioning and fight preparation.
Following the Kopylov win, Costa was scheduled to face Sharabutdin Magomedov on 22 November 2025, at UFC Fight Night 265. However, Magomedov withdrew from the bout due to undergoing nose surgery, leaving Costa’s next opponent undetermined at the time of writing. As of 19 August 2025, Costa holds the #13 ranking in the UFC middleweight division.
Looking ahead, Costa remains active in the middleweight picture and continues to train out of Fight Ready. His recent performances suggest he is working to rebuild momentum and position himself for higher-ranked opponents in the division.