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Light Heavyweight

Paulo Costa

Last fought: Apr 2026
RECORD
Pro
16-4-0
UFC
8-4-0
Age
35
Height
6'1"
Weight
205 lbs
Reach
72"
Stance
Orthodox

Career Analytics

Advanced MetricCareer
Fight Shape
Avg Fight Time12:38
Fight Completion Rate72.3%
Avg Rounds per Fight2.53
% Fights Inside the Distance50.0%
Strength of Schedule
Opponent UFC Record (all, at fight time)93-41 (69.4%)
Opponent UFC Record (among wins)48-27 (64.0%)
Opponent UFC Record (among losses)45-14 (76.3%)
Positional Profile
% Time at Distance (approx.)90.3%
% Time in Control5.5%
% Time Controlled4.2%
Control Rate of Clinch/Ground Time56.9%
Distance Striking
Distance Sig. Strikes Landed / Min6.03
Distance Sig. Strikes Absorbed / Min6.10
Distance Striking Differential / Min-0.07
Distance Strike Accuracy57.8%
Distance Strike Defense50.7%
Power & Pressure
KDs per 100 Power Strikes Landed0.81
Knocked Down per 100 Absorbed0.26
TD Attempts per 5 Distance Min0.26
TDs Faced per 5 Distance Min0.98
Sub Attempts per 15 Control Min0.00
Fade Index (R3 pace / R1 pace)0.91
All metrics are UFC fights only. Methodology →
Where the Strikes Land
Share of landed significant strikes by target
Where the Fight Happens
Share of total fight time by position
Cumulative Significant Strikes vs the Light Heavyweight field
Paulo Costa   League percentile bands (p5–p95)   League median
The shaded bands are the league’s middle range: the darker center covers the 25th–75th percentile of fighters, the lighter outer zones extend to the 5th and 95th — computed only over fighters whose careers reached each minute mark. How these are calculated →

Career Stats

Statistic Paulo Costa
Striking
Sig. Strike Accuracy59.3%
Sig. Strikes Landed/min6.2
Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min6.0
Strike Differential0.2/min
Grappling
Takedown Accuracy42.9%
Takedown Defense77.8%
Takedowns Landed/15min0.3
Submission Attempts/15min0.0
Control Time/15min0:49
Finishing Ability
KO/TKO % of Wins62.5%
Submission % of Wins0.0%
Decision % of Wins37.5%
Avg Fight Time12:38
Secondary Stats
Knockdowns/15min0.6
Reversals/15min0.1

Last 5 Averages

Statistic Last 5 Fights
Sig. Strike Accuracy59.6%
Sig. Strikes Landed/min5.6
Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min5.0
Takedown Accuracy40.0%
Takedown Defense71.4%
Control Time/Fight1:24

Fight History

WIN
vs. Azamat Murzakanov
UFC 327: Prochazka vs. Ulberg • Apr 2026Light Heavyweight
KO/TKO (Kick) • Rd 3, 1:23
Paulo Costa55/8069%TD 0/1Ctrl 1:20KD 1
Azamat Murzakanov34/7049%TD 1/2Ctrl 0:20
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Roman Kopylov
UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 • Jul 2025Middleweight
Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00
Paulo Costa99/15962%TD 0/2Ctrl 0:13KD 1
Roman Kopylov48/10446%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00
▼ Rounds
LOSS
vs. Sean Strickland
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier • Jun 2024Middleweight
Decision (Split) • Rd 5, 5:00
Paulo Costa158/26659%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00
Sean Strickland182/40245%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:01
▼ Rounds
LOSS
vs. Robert Whittaker
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria • Feb 2024Middleweight
Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00
Paulo Costa67/15144%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00
Robert Whittaker95/17554%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:00
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Luke Rockhold
UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards • Aug 2022Middleweight
Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00
Paulo Costa73/10371%TD 2/2Ctrl 5:28
Luke Rockhold51/7073%TD 1/4Ctrl 0:47
▼ Rounds
LOSS
vs. Marvin Vettori
UFC Fight Night: Costa vs. Vettori • Oct 2021Light Heavyweight
Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 5, 5:00
Paulo Costa163/26063%TD 1/1Ctrl 0:47
Marvin Vettori190/34655%TD 1/5Ctrl 3:27
▼ Rounds
LOSS
vs. Israel Adesanya
UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa • Sep 2020MiddleweightTITLE
KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 2, 3:59
Paulo Costa12/2646%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:01
Israel Adesanya55/8465%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:09KD 1
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Yoel Romero
UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 • Aug 2019Middleweight
Decision (Unanimous) • Rd 3, 5:00
Paulo Costa118/21355%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:06KD 1
Yoel Romero125/28444%TD 1/4Ctrl 0:12KD 1
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Uriah Hall
UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier • Jul 2018Middleweight
KO/TKO (Punches) • Rd 2, 2:38
Paulo Costa75/11665%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:08KD 1
Uriah Hall58/12248%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:03
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Johny Hendricks
UFC 217: Bisping vs. St-Pierre • Nov 2017Middleweight
KO/TKO (Punches) • Rd 2, 1:23
Paulo Costa49/9054%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:01KD 1
Johny Hendricks27/5450%TD 0/4Ctrl 0:00
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Oluwale Bamgbose
UFC 212: Aldo vs. Holloway • Jun 2017Middleweight
KO/TKO (Punches) • Rd 2, 1:06
Paulo Costa43/8054%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:14
Oluwale Bamgbose33/6253%TD 2/5Ctrl 1:22
▼ Rounds
WIN
vs. Garreth McLellan
UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Gastelum • Mar 2017Middleweight
KO/TKO (Punch) • Rd 1, 1:17
Paulo Costa22/3269%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:06KD 1
Garreth McLellan6/1443%TD 0/1Ctrl 0:00
▼ Rounds
Last updated: 2026-08-20 | Data source: UFCStats.com