UFC middleweight Paulo Costa has become one of the most entertaining—and unpredictable—figures on the roster. Known for his offbeat humor and wild social media antics, ‘Borrachinha’ has built a strong online following, often leaving fans in stitches and cementing his place as a digital fan favorite. But behind the jokes and viral posts, Costa’s fighting career has faced serious turbulence.
After multiple cancellations and long layoffs, he’s finally set to return to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 318 on July 19, where he’ll meet Roman Kopylov in the co-main event. This bout was originally slated for UFC 317 last month, but an undisclosed illness forced Paulo Costa to withdraw, leading to the rescheduling. Unfortunately, this isn’t a one-off. The Brazilian’s name has become synonymous with last-minute pullouts, and the pattern hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans—or analysts.
Paulo Costa’s repeated withdrawals draw fire from MMA pundits
Although Paulo Costa has been with Dana White & Co. for more than eight years, he’s only stepped into the Octagon 10 times—a surprisingly low figure for someone who’s constantly in the spotlight. Speaking on the TNT Sports YouTube channel, MMA analysts Michael Bisping, Adam Catterall, and Nick Peet didn’t hold back, openly questioning ‘Borrachinha’s commitment and seriousness toward his fighting career.
Adam Catterall said, “He’s becoming a bit of a comic book character. Is he that, or is he a serious contender? Because we’re getting missed weight scenarios, we’re getting all sorts of bits and bats on social media, but we’re not getting the real guy turning up inside the Octagon.” Nick Peet also voiced his concern, reflecting on Paulo Costa’s explosive UFC debut and what he sees as the ongoing “problem,” in Costa’s career.
Speaking about the Brazilian’s rise back in 2017, Peet recalled how Paulo Costa “exploded” onto the scene with a dominant run. That five-fight win streak catapulted him to a title shot against the then-champion Israel Adesanya. But as Peet bluntly put it: “Since then, it’s all gone wrong.”
MMA: UFC 278- Costa vs Rockhold, Aug 20, 2022 Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Paulo Costa red gloves fights Luke Rockhold blue gloves during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports, 20.08.2022 21:56:03, 18905947, NPStrans, Luke Rockhold, MMA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffreyxSwingerx 18905947
Now ranked No. 12 in the UFC middleweight division, ‘Borrachinha’ has struggled to regain his early momentum, going 1–4 in his last five Octagon outings. His most recent defeat came via a razor-close split decision against Sean Strickland. However, what’s raising more concern than his record is the string of eight canceled fights on his resume.
Notably, the Brazilian caused four cancellations because of injuries and other complications. While injuries are a part of the game, the recurring pattern of withdrawals has drawn attention—and concern—from fans and pundits across the MMA community.
Costa’s brother promises a revitalized version at UFC 318
After a difficult run inside the Octagon, Paulo Costa is more determined than ever to return to the win column—and sees Roman Kopylov as the ideal target heading into their UFC 318 clash. His coach and brother, Carlos Costa, believes a finish is not just possible, but likely. Discussing Paulo’s recent inactivity, Carlos—better known as ‘Borracha’—revealed that a serious flu infection sidelined his younger brother last month, forcing the originally scheduled UFC 317 bout to be pushed to UFC 318.
With Paulo now back in full form, Borracha is optimistic that this fight will mark a turning point. Speaking to Sherdog.com, he said, “That bad sequence just motivated my brother to give his very best in this camp, Kopylov is definitely a tough opponent, but I don’t see that fight going until the end of the third round.”
Borracha also credited Dana White & the UFC for allowing Paulo Costa enough time to recover properly before stepping back into competition: “The UFC understood and gave him that time to recover to reach the fight in his very best physical and technical conditions…This week we are doing the final adjustments, and we will travel to New Orleans on Sunday.”
With a new chapter about to begin, can Paulo Costa break his losing streak in the upcoming middleweight bout against Roman Kopylov at UFC 318? Share your prediction below.
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