Every fighter in the torment of an existential dilemma navigates
the need to either evolve with the sport or become extinct. The
answer can vary: strike a better deal, skyrocket to fame, or seek
better competition.
For
Paulo
Costa, it was a matter of asserting his value and battling for
fair compensation. The Brazilian did a complete about-face, putting
skin in the social media game with jest-driven content. He opts to
pick on topics that can be conversational fodder and detonates
ridicule-laden themes that act as dynamite and trigger a response.
In doing so, he has become a popular figure and a source of
entertainment for fans on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Besides that, the former
Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title contender
returned to winning ways in his last fight against
Luke
Rockhold at
UFC
278. Last year, Costa was scheduled to face
Robert
Whittaker,
Ikram
Aliskerov and
Khamzat
Chimaev on separate occasions. However, none of the bouts
materialized and the Brazilian’s 2023 mixed martial arts record
remained a blank canvas.
“Borrachinha” will finally make his much-anticipated Octagon return
against former middleweight kingpin
Robert
Whittaker on Feb. 17, 2024, at
UFC 298. Ahead of the fight, let’s take a look at five things
you might not know about Costa.
He Followed His Brother’s Path to the Cage
Paulo
Costa was born in 1991 to
Carlos
Roberto and Maria Augusta. He was drawn into the martial arts
fold by the influence of his older brother,
Carlos
Costa, who as luck would have it, was a former mixed martial
artist himself. Martial arts helped Costa keep a wide berth from
street fights and get into a disciplined mindset. He later delved
into muay thai at the tender age of nine.
Tragedy Struck Him at a Young Age
Costa was caught in the grip of misfortune when his father passed
away from throat cancer when he was 17. This led him to abandon
jiu-jitsu for a period. “Borrachinha” returned to the sport after a
few years, under the guidance of his brother. He started training
in jiu-jitsu once again and put his training to the test under the
guidance of his brother.
Breaking Ground
Costa wasn’t born in the lap of luxury. The Brazilian had to endure
financial struggles growing up. He shouldered the responsibility of
covering household expenses to help his mother. He worked in real
estate and also took up a role as an IT teacher, teaching Microsoft
Word and Microsoft Excel. His mother revealed
to ESPN, “When he got older, he had an internship as a computer
assistant and also worked in a telemarketing company. He would come
home late, like midnight. Then he started working as a realtor. He
was making good money, but he had no time to practice.”
A Mother’s Faith
Costa kicked off his professional mixed martial arts journey in
Brazil, making his debut in Feb. 2012. His brother, Carlos realized
that finding an equilibrium between work, training, and competing
was a tall order. Carlos, persuaded their mother to financially
back Costa for a year, enabling him to fully dedicate himself to
his martial arts career. Over the next five years, the Brazilian
demonstrated his skills in the cage, compiling an impressive record
of 8–0, featuring seven knockouts and one submission victory.
His brother told his mother, "‘Mom, Paulo doesn't have time. He has
a future in fighting. We need to support him.’ But he likes the
best clothes and the best sneakers -- I said I would support him
but under my conditions. I worked, and everything I did was for
them. He quit his job to focus on sports.”
A quirk of fate intervened when UFC 147 was forced to relocate from
Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte, Brazil, due to a United Nations
conference occupying hotel rooms. The event, which was scheduled
for June. 23, 2012, landed just 12 miles east of Costa’s hometown.
Eager to witness the spectacle firsthand, Costa and his older
brother, Carlos, pleaded with their mother for permission to
attend. But they lacked the means to even purchase tickets on their
own. Costa revealed the episode in a candid interview ahead of the
fight with
Israel
Adesanya.
The Belo Horizonte Gamble
Costa was longing for a career-defining moment and he recognized
competing on
“The
Ultimate Fighter” would propel him to new heights. But Costa
faced an obstacle. In order to compete in the promotion's hit show,
he needed to have three fights under his belt but only had two.
Costa and his brother were determined to pull out all the stops to
get one more fight. They noticed that there was an event in Belo
Horizonte and pulled an attempt to anchor Costa to the card.
However, the promoter revealed that the stipulated capacity of the
card was tapped out with 13-14 confirmed fights. They stood their
ground and requested an opportunity, offering to fight for free if
necessary. Recognizing Costa’s determination, the promoter agreed.
He scored a first-round TKO victory over
Fabio
Moreira, successfully fulfilling the requirement to earn a
coveted spot on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.”