Six years have gone by since Paulo Costa last achieved a UFC knockout, and he is focused on altering that after a disappointing outcome at UFC 302. In UFC 302’s co-main event, Costa faced his fourth defeat in the past five UFC fights when he lost a decision to Sean Strickland. This defeat is another setback for the former title contender. Costa, who made a name for himself with four consecutive knockouts at the start of his UFC career, has recently transitioned to a more cautious and defensive approach, with five of his last six fights going the distance.
Following the match, Strickland criticized Costa for his performance, alleging that Costa was “running” during the fight. This critique appears to have reignited a fire in Costa, as the frustrated middleweight vowed to re-embrace his aggressive fighting style in a now-deleted social media video.
Costa announced, “I will bring back the [old] Paulo to take heads off, to finish the fight. I’m not that kind of counter [fighter], sorry, I’m not that kind of counter guy. I do better [when I] move forward and try to finish and look for heads.”
Costa has recently experienced two consecutive losses against Strickland and Robert Whittaker. Since 2019, his only victory came in a decision victory over Luke Rockhold in 2022. Presently, Costa does not possess a win against any fighter in the current UFC lineup.
