Paulo Costa
UFC 2017–present · rated in 4 editions · peak overall 86.0
Scouting report
Physical power, body kicks, and hooks in the pocket propelled Paulo "The Eraser" Costa to an undisputed title shot on an undefeated 13-0 run. Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Costa delivered a Fight of the Night slugfest victory over Yoel Romero alongside knockouts of Uriah Hall and Johny Hendricks, his power reflected in an 81 Strength score and 87 Boxing.
Peak ratings
By edition
Costa tore through the division with power between 2018 and 2019, knocking out former champion Johny Hendricks at UFC 217, stopping Uriah Hall in round two at UFC 226 in Las Vegas, and defeating Yoel Romero in a three-round brawl at UFC 241 in Anaheim to earn a title shot. His body kicks, heavy hooks, and forward pressure are reflected in an 88 Boxing and 93 Strength.
In September 2020 at UFC 253 on Fight Island, Costa challenged Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title, suffering a second-round TKO defeat, before engaging Marvin Vettori in a 2021 five-round war in Las Vegas. His punching power, body strikes, and durable frame anchor his 88 Boxing and 93 Strength.
Costa defeated former champion Luke Rockhold in a wild brawl at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City in 2022, before engaging Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland in competitive five-round decisions across 2024 at UFC 298 in Anaheim and UFC 302 in Newark. His hooks, spinning kicks, and physical strength justify his 86 Boxing and 91 Strength.
Draft Paulo Costa into your build
Paulo Costa enters the pool on any spin landing on middleweight between 2018 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Paulo Costa is regarded by the MMA community, with the EA Sports UFC games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Paulo Costa's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below.