Paulo Costa: Net Worth, Martial Arts & Ultimate Fighting Championship, Age, Relationship, etc

Paulo Costa is a professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the Middleweight division. He holds an impressive MMA record and is also a Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Since 2021, Costa has also been participating in light heavyweight championships. Backed by his successful career, Paulo has also been able to accumulate a net worth of around $1 million. Check out more details about Paulo Costa such as her personal and professional life, championships and accomplishments, etc in this article.

Paulo Costa Net Worth 2023

Paulo Costa Personal Life

Paulo Costa was born on 21 April 1991 in Minas Gerais, Brazil to Maria Augusta and Carlos Roberto. His parents were very poor and worked odd jobs to support the family. At the age of nine, Costa learned Thai boxing to defend himself during street fights and to learn discipline. He later joined a jiu-jitsu gym as a teenager along with his brother but has to quit at the age of 17 when his father died of throat cancer. Paulo’s older brother Carlos Costa was a mixed martial artist who also acted as his coach.

After taking a break for a couple of years, Costa returned to his training and began competing under the guidance of his brother. He kept working part-time jobs as an IT teacher teaching Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel and in real estate to support his mother financially.

Since 2013, Paulo Costa is dating Tamara Alves. Tamara is a successful businesswoman who runs the supplement and exercise accessory company MundoFit. In addition to this, she is also Costa’s manager. Tamara met Costa through her cousin’s husband who trained at the same gym as Costa.

Professional Career of Paulo Costa

Initial Career

Paulo Costa made his professional MMA debut in Brazil in 2012 and soon moved out to pursue his career in professional martial arts. In his next eight matches held over the course of five years, Costa maintained an amazing record of 8–0 which included 7 knockouts and 1 submission. Costa was selected to fight on The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 where he defeated José Roberto in the opening elimination match in only two rounds via submission. In his second match, however, he lost to Márcio Alexandre Jr. after three rounds.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

In 2017, Costa made his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 106 against Garreth McLellan. He not just won the fight in the first round via total knock-out, but also earned his first Performance of the Night award. In his fight at UFC 212, he again defeated Oluwale Bamgbose via total knock-out in the second round. Following his wins, UFC offered a new contract to Paulo but the contract didn’t reach any financial agreement. Costa went on to defeat Johny Hendricks at UFC 217 in the second round via TKO and finally signed a new, multi-fight contract following this win. In 2018, Costa earned his second Performance of the Night award after defeating Uriah Hall at UFC 226. Costa won the fight in the second round via technical knockout.

In late 2018, Costa got suspended for six months by USADA and CABMMA for receiving prohibited intravenous infusions (IV). He was fined a third of the amount he received for the fights and was given to his opponents. In 2019, Paulo made a comeback at UFC 241 by winning a fight against Yoel Romero and even earned the Fight of the Night award. One year later, he took part in UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 253 where he lost to Israel Adesanya. This marked the first professional loss of Costa. In 2021, Costa lost another match to Marvin Vettori at UFC Fight Night 196. At UFC 278 held in 2022, Costa won the fight against UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold, earning the second Fight of the Night award.

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Championships and accomplishments

Check out the different championships and accomplishments in the name of Paulo Costa:

Jungle Fight

• Middleweight Championship (One time)
• One successful title defense

MMAjunkie.com

• 2019 August Fight of the Month vs. Yoel Romero

Sherdog

• 2019 Round of the Year vs. Yoel Romero (round 1)

Ultimate Fighting Championship

• Performance of the Night (Two times) vs. Garreth McLellan and Uriah Hall
• Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Yoel Romero & Luke Rockhold

Controversy surrounding Paulo Costa

Paulo has been accused of hitting a nurse with his elbow during a bout over a COVID-19 vaccination card. According to the nurse, Costa was not vaccinated against Covid and was asking the nurse to sign his card which she refused. Costa then tried to flee with the filled-out vaccination card without getting the shot. The nurse tried to grab his arm and was hit with his elbow in the process causing her lips to become swollen. However, no charges were filed against him.

In 2019, Paulo tweeted a racist comment on Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya which he soon deleted. Again in 2022, he made another racist comment in response to a challenge put forth by former UFC fighter Mike Perry. After getting heat from his fans for posting the racial slur, Costa deleted the tweet, but posted a mock apology and tweeted a photoshopped picture of himself in blackface.

Paulo Costa on Social Media

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