April 1991: Birth of Paulo Costa
Paulo Henrique Costa was born in April 1991.
1991: Early Life and Family Background
In 1991, Paulo Costa was born to Carlos Roberto and Maria Augusta. He grew up in Contagem, Brazil, with his older brother, Carlos Costa, who later became a mixed martial artist and one of Paulo's coaches.
February 2012: Professional MMA Debut
Paulo Costa made his professional MMA debut in February 2012 in Brazil. With his mother's financial support, he pursued his martial arts career.
March 2017: UFC Debut and Victory
On March 11, 2017, Paulo Costa made his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 106, defeating Garreth McLellan via TKO in the first round. This victory earned him his first Performance of the Night award.
June 2017: USADA Suspension
Paulo Costa was handed a six-month suspension by USADA and CABMMA for receiving prohibited intravenous infusions exceeding the allowed limit after weigh-ins at UFC 212 in June 2017.
June 2017: Victory against Oluwale Bamgbose
Paulo Costa won his fight against Oluwale Bamgbose at UFC 212 on June 3, 2017, via TKO in the second round.
November 2017: Victory against Johny Hendricks and New Contract
On November 4, 2017, at UFC 217, Paulo Costa faced former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, winning the fight via TKO in the second round. Following this victory, he signed a new multi-fight contract with the UFC.
November 2017: USADA Suspension
Paulo Costa received a six-month suspension from USADA and CABMMA for receiving prohibited intravenous infusions exceeding the permitted amount after weigh-ins at UFC 217 in November 2017.
April 2018: Withdrawal from UFC Fight Night 128
Paulo Costa withdrew from his scheduled fight against Uriah Hall at UFC Fight Night 128 in April 2018 due to an arm injury.
July 2018: Victory against Uriah Hall
On July 7, 2018, at UFC 226, Paulo Costa secured a victory against Uriah Hall via technical knockout in the second round. This win earned him his second Performance of the Night award.
August 2018: Suspension Period
Paulo Costa's six-month suspension by USADA was retroactive to August 10, 2018.
November 2018: Postponement of Yoel Romero Fight
Paulo Costa's scheduled bout against Yoel Romero at UFC 230, initially planned for November 3, 2018, was postponed because Romero's medics advised him to allow facial injuries from a previous fight to heal.
February 2019: Eligibility to Fight
Paulo Costa became eligible to fight again in February 2019 following his six-month suspension.
April 2019: Withdrawal and USADA Investigation
In April 2019, Paulo Costa was removed from his scheduled fight against Yoel Romero at UFC on ESPN+ 8 for undisclosed reasons. He was also prevented from facing Ronaldo Souza due to a USADA investigation.
August 2019: Victory against Yoel Romero
On August 17, 2019, at UFC 241, Paulo Costa emerged victorious against Yoel Romero in a unanimous decision. This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.
March 2020: Ban for Lucas Penchel MSc
Lucas Penchel MSc, who administered the intravenous infusions to Paulo Costa, was banned by USADA for two years starting on March 13, 2020.
September 2020: First Professional Loss
On September 27, 2020, at UFC 253, Paulo Costa faced Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship. He lost the fight via technical knockout in the second round, marking his first professional loss.
April 2021: Withdrawal from UFC on ESPN 22
Paulo Costa withdrew from his scheduled fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC on ESPN 22 on March 16, 2021, due to illness.
August 2021: Withdrawal from UFC on ESPN 28
Paulo Costa withdrew from his bout against Jared Cannonier, scheduled for August 21, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 28, due to reasons that remain unclear.
October 2021: Loss to Marvin Vettori
Paulo Costa faced Marvin Vettori in a light heavyweight bout on October 23, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 196. This fight, originally scheduled as a middleweight contest, drew criticism because Costa weighed in significantly over the middleweight limit. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
May 2022: Costa Questioned by Police Over Vaccination Dispute
In May 2022, Costa was questioned by police in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, after being accused of elbowing a nurse during an argument about a COVID-19 vaccination card. Costa, who claimed to be vaccinated but without proof, allegedly tried to leave with a signed card without receiving the shot, leading to the altercation.
July 2022: Victory against Luke Rockhold at UFC 278
Paulo Costa's fight against Luke Rockhold, initially planned for July 30, 2022, at UFC 277, was moved to UFC 278. Costa won the fight via unanimous decision, earning him the Fight of the Night award.
February 2023: Dispute Over UFC 284 Fight
Paulo Costa contested the official announcement of his fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC 284, scheduled for February 12, 2023, stating he hadn't signed a contract.
July 2023: Fight Cancellation and Rescheduling
A planned bout between Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov for UFC 291 on July 29, 2023, was scrapped. The promotion then rescheduled Costa to face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 on October 21, 2023.
October 2023: Withdrawal from UFC 294
Paulo Costa withdrew from his fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, scheduled for October 21, 2023, due to an injury.
February 2024: UFC Middleweight Rankings Update
As of February 20, 2024, Paulo Costa is ranked #7 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
February 2024: Loss to Robert Whittaker
Paulo Costa faced former UFC Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker on February 17, 2024, at UFC 298. Despite coming close to a finish in the first round, Costa lost the fight via unanimous decision.
June 2024: Scheduled Bout against Sean Strickland
Paulo Costa is scheduled to face former UFC Middleweight champion Sean Strickland on June 1, 2024, at UFC 302.