Paulo Costa will mark his UFC return this weekend against perennial contender Robert Whittaker in the co-main event of UFC 298. Borrachina, who last stepped inside the cage in August 2022 against Luke Rockhold, will compete for the first time in over 18 months, and it’s safe to say that a win over Whittaker could push him straight into the title picture.
In his last fight, Costa looked impressive against a seasoned veteran like Luke Rockhold and certainly proved he isn’t just a power puncher but carries with him a ground game that could put a lot of middleweights in trouble. And if there’s someone to credit for that, it’s Paulo Costa’s brother Carlos Costa.
Paulo Costa’s brother Carlos Costa is also his coach
Paulo Costa trains under his brother Carlos Costa, a former mixed martial artist. Costa has always put high praise on his brother Carlos, who has been a powerful force pushing Paulo to achieve his UFC dream.
“I am five years younger than him. He was good to make me tough. Now my brother is my coach. Everything I learned on Jiu-Jitsu, come from him.” Costa said on the UFC 298 Countdown.
Paulo Costa is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has submitted his opponent only once in his MMA career. Costa is yet to win a fight via submission in the UFC.
“My brother can handle my different game plans. He really help me to get my best performance.” He added.
Even Paulo Costa’s nickname Borrachina once used to be his brother’s moniker. The Portugese word Borrachina translates to “little rubber” in English. Before transitioning to mixed martial arts and coaching his younger brother, Carlos Costa used to be a huge soccer fan and even wanted to follow a career in soccer, a passion he shared with his father.
He would go on to play for some base clubs in Minas Gerais during his early years. However, due to his height, Carlos didn’t have much success on the soccer field, often being reduced to the position of a goalie due to his short stature. Eventually he gave up on that dream and decided to pursue MMA instead.
Carlos Costa had a short but impressive run as a mixed martial artist. He was 4-0 when he decided to step away from the sport to dedicate his entire time in coaching his brother Paulo Costa. And if you look at how far Paulo Costa has come, Carlos’ decision has certainly paid dividents.