Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa, with a 16-4 professional record and an orthodox stance, is a middleweight striker who has demonstrated consistent volume output throughout his career, averaging 6.15 strikes landed per minute with 59% accuracy while maintaining a respectable 49% striking defense against 5.96 strikes absorbed per minute. Costa's approach centers on precise striking rather than wrestling—he averages just 0.30 takedowns per 15 minutes with 77% takedown defense—making him a pure stand-up competitor with minimal submission threat.

His recent resume reflects mixed results in elite competition: he suffered a second-round knockout loss to Israel Adesanya in September 2020, followed by a unanimous decision defeat to Marvin Vettori in October 2021, though he rebounded with victories over Johny Hendricks (KO, round 2, 2017), Uriah Hall (KO, round 2, 2018), and most recently Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision in July 2025. A split-decision loss to Sean Strickland in June 2024 marked another setback in his attempt to reclaim divisional relevance.

Costa remains a credible middleweight threat capable of finishing opponents but has struggled against the division's elite strikers in recent years.