Light Heavyweight

Paulo Costa

Last fought: Apr 2026

RECORD

Pro

16-4-0

UFC

8-4-0

Age

Height

6'1"

Weight

205 lbs

Reach

72"

Stance

Orthodox

Career Analytics

Advanced Metric	Career
Fight Shape
Avg Fight Time	12:38
Fight Completion Rate	72.3%
Avg Rounds per Fight	2.53
% Fights Inside the Distance	50.0%
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 Control	5.5%
% Time Controlled	4.2%
Control Rate of Clinch/Ground Time	56.9%
Distance Striking
Distance Sig. Strikes Landed / Min	6.03
Distance Sig. Strikes Absorbed / Min	6.10
Distance Striking Differential / Min	-0.07
Distance Strike Accuracy	57.8%
Distance Strike Defense	50.7%
Power & Pressure
KDs per 100 Power Strikes Landed	0.81
Knocked Down per 100 Absorbed	0.26
TD Attempts per 5 Distance Min	0.26
TDs Faced per 5 Distance Min	0.98
Sub Attempts per 15 Control Min	0.00
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 Accuracy	59.3%
Sig. Strikes Landed/min	6.2
Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min	6.0
Strike Differential	0.2/min
Grappling
Takedown Accuracy	42.9%
Takedown Defense	77.8%
Takedowns Landed/15min	0.3
Submission Attempts/15min	0.0
Control Time/15min	0:49
Finishing Ability
KO/TKO % of Wins	62.5%
Submission % of Wins	0.0%
Decision % of Wins	37.5%
Avg Fight Time	12:38
Secondary Stats
Knockdowns/15min	0.6
Reversals/15min	0.1

Last 5 Averages

Statistic	Last 5 Fights
Sig. Strike Accuracy	59.6%
Sig. Strikes Landed/min	5.6
Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min	5.0
Takedown Accuracy	40.0%
Takedown Defense	71.4%
Control Time/Fight	1:24

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	21/31	68%	0/0	0:31	—
	Azamat Murzakanov	7/26	27%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Paulo Costa	19/31	61%	0/1	0:49	—
	Azamat Murzakanov	23/38	61%	1/2	0:20	—

R3	Paulo Costa	15/18	83%	0/0	0:00	1
	Azamat Murzakanov	4/6	67%	0/0	0:00	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	34/54	63%	0/0	0:13	1
	Roman Kopylov	11/27	41%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Paulo Costa	32/57	56%	0/0	0:00	—
	Roman Kopylov	16/32	50%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Paulo Costa	33/48	69%	0/2	0:00	—
	Roman Kopylov	21/45	47%	0/0	0:00	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	31/43	72%	0/0	0:00	—
	Sean Strickland	24/56	43%	0/0	0:01	—

R2	Paulo Costa	32/49	65%	0/0	0:00	—
	Sean Strickland	25/70	36%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Paulo Costa	34/54	63%	0/0	0:00	—
	Sean Strickland	45/83	54%	0/0	0:00	—

R4	Paulo Costa	29/53	55%	0/0	0:00	—
	Sean Strickland	39/88	44%	0/0	0:00	—

R5	Paulo Costa	32/67	48%	0/0	0:00	—
	Sean Strickland	49/105	47%	0/0	0:00	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	27/49	55%	0/0	0:00	—
	Robert Whittaker	38/62	61%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Paulo Costa	26/54	48%	0/0	0:00	—
	Robert Whittaker	32/55	58%	0/0	0:00	—

R3	Paulo Costa	14/48	29%	0/0	0:00	—
	Robert Whittaker	25/58	43%	0/1	0:00	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	27/34	79%	1/1	2:48	—
	Luke Rockhold	19/23	83%	0/2	0:03	—

R2	Paulo Costa	30/42	71%	1/1	0:17	—
	Luke Rockhold	23/35	66%	1/1	0:12	—

R3	Paulo Costa	16/27	59%	0/0	2:23	—
	Luke Rockhold	9/12	75%	0/1	0:32	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	35/53	66%	0/0	0:00	—
	Marvin Vettori	39/68	57%	0/0	0:09	—

R2	Paulo Costa	36/65	55%	0/0	0:00	—
	Marvin Vettori	40/80	50%	1/1	0:22	—

R3	Paulo Costa	17/29	59%	1/1	0:24	—
	Marvin Vettori	31/55	56%	0/0	1:27	—

R4	Paulo Costa	30/47	64%	0/0	0:00	—
	Marvin Vettori	49/81	60%	0/1	0:30	—

R5	Paulo Costa	45/66	68%	0/0	0:23	—
	Marvin Vettori	31/62	50%	0/3	0:59	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	7/11	64%	0/0	0:01	—
	Israel Adesanya	22/37	59%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Paulo Costa	5/15	33%	0/0	0:00	—
	Israel Adesanya	33/47	70%	0/0	0:09	1

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	37/69	54%	0/0	0:04	1
	Yoel Romero	32/69	46%	0/2	0:06	1

R2	Paulo Costa	37/71	52%	0/0	0:00	—
	Yoel Romero	40/91	44%	1/1	0:01	—

R3	Paulo Costa	44/73	60%	0/0	0:02	—
	Yoel Romero	53/124	43%	0/1	0:05	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	42/69	61%	0/0	0:07	—
	Uriah Hall	34/77	44%	0/0	0:00	—

R2	Paulo Costa	33/47	70%	0/0	0:01	1
	Uriah Hall	24/45	53%	0/1	0:03	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	29/60	48%	0/0	0:00	—
	Johny Hendricks	22/42	52%	0/2	0:00	—

R2	Paulo Costa	20/30	67%	0/0	0:01	1
	Johny Hendricks	5/12	42%	0/2	0:00	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	29/53	55%	0/1	0:02	—
	Oluwale Bamgbose	24/47	51%	2/5	1:22	—

R2	Paulo Costa	14/27	52%	0/0	0:12	—
	Oluwale Bamgbose	9/15	60%	0/0	0:00	—

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

Rnd	Fighter	Sig Str	Acc	TD	Ctrl	KD
R1	Paulo Costa	22/32	69%	0/0	0:06	1
	Garreth McLellan	6/14	43%	0/1	0:00	—

Last updated: 2026-08-22 | Data source: UFCStats.com