Paulo Costa fought for three grueling rounds at UFC 318, but you’d never know it from his latest post on social media! ‘The Eraser’ delivered a throwback performance against Roman Kopylov. He brought pressure and just enough pace to remind fans of the Costa who once bulldozed through the middleweight division. The win came at a crucial time, as after going 1-4 in his previous five outings, many wondered if the Brazilian still had any spark left.
But the numbers from the fight told the story. Costa doubled Kopylov in strikes, dropped him with a clean right, and cruised to a unanimous decision win. After the fight, he confessed, “I put a lot of work, a lot of work on my mind. It’s not good to get some losses. My strategy, my game plan, was to stay here and stand up with him.”
So the recent selfie he shared on Instagram? It was a testament to his success as he stared into the camera, radiating confidence with a cheeky smirk on his face, and not a single mark to show from his 3-round shut-out against Roman Kopylov.
And after the win at UFC 318, he had unleashed on Khamzat Chimaev, stating, “He’s a big as—. He says bad things about me about [my wife]. He is a coward. I’m going to chase you. I will not stop until I get to you.”
Yet, just days later, that fire seemed to fade behind fan jokes and a whole new buzz. Reinier De Ridder stepped into the mix after his split-decision win over Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi. Just moments after his hand was raised, Costa was online posting on X, “With all due respect, I would knock out de Ridder three [times each] round.” While some fans laughed it off, others saw a real possibility brewing.
Yet, ‘The Dutch Knight’ wasn’t bothered. When asked about Costa’s jab, he shot back with, “There’s always a hater out there. Did Paulo Costa never fight Whittaker? What happened?” It was a clean counter from the Dutchman, who already has his eyes on a title shot, especially if Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 reshapes the middleweight title picture.
But Paulo Costa’s knockout claims did little to rattle De Ridder. What did stir the pot, though, was that selfie as we now take a look at what the netizens had to say!
Fans fire off with hilarious jabs at Paulo Costa as ‘beef’ with Khamzat Chimaev gets overshadowed
One fan wrote, “Opened IG just to get mogged by Chad Costa.” The term “mogged” has long been used online to describe being outclassed in looks or energy. Paulo Costa’s clean, post-fight glow-up fit the bill. The man looked untouched!
Another fan posted, “Costa vs RdR book it!!” After Costa’s jab at De Ridder, fans connected the dots. With both men coming off big wins, and the title picture in flux, the matchup suddenly doesn’t feel so far-fetched. What do you think?
One user got bold as they laid out a roadmap for the future, writing, “Deserves the title shot, dps try the double championship and then the triple champ.” It’s an ambitious comment, but Costa’s past run and this renewed momentum have some fans dreaming big. Triple champ talk might be satire, but it shows how quickly things can turn with one win and one viral post.
Another joked, “Did you become an Uber driver?” It’s vintage MMA fan humor. The clean-cut look and confident smile gave off major “new job, new me” vibes, and the internet didn’t miss the chance to poke fun.
A cheeky comment read, “Khamzat loves this face.” Even though the feud with Khamzat Chimaev got heated with the post-fight callout, this light-hearted jab hints that fans aren’t taking the beef too seriously anymore, not when “Chad Costa” is stealing the spotlight.
And finally, someone wrote, “Literally me when the bank asks to see if it’s me.” Costa’s expression in the photo? Calm, smug, unbothered. Perfect for ID verification, and meme gold!
Paulo Costa may have walked out of UFC 318 with a statement win, but it’s his post-fight selfie that truly stole the show. In a sport where scars often speak louder than words, Costa’s spotless face and sly smirk flipped the script.
The fans didn’t just notice; they ran with it. Now, instead of Khamzat Chimaev callouts, the internet is buzzing with memes, jokes, and tongue-in-cheek title plans! Whether Costa leans into “Chad” mode or steps back into the Octagon for another war, one thing’s certain: he’s back in the spotlight, and this time, it’s on his own terms.
The post Paulo Costa’s “Chad” Pic Sparks RDR Buzz as Khamzat Chimaev Feud Gets Buried in Fan Jokes appeared first on EssentiallySports.