It has been a meteoric rise for Costa, who debuted in the UFC on short notice in early 2023 and dropped a pair of lightweight contests on either side of a featherweight victory during his rookie campaign. After fighting only once in 2024, the native of Porto de Moz in the northern Brazilian state of Para has remained hyperactive, hustling back into action every time the UFC has called.
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Just as Kevin Holland used his constant readiness and availability to catapult himself into the Top 15 in the middleweight division in 2020, Costa has taken full advantage of the same opportunities, turning his ability to avoid injuries and eagerness to compete into an accelerated push in the talent-rich featherweight division.
“It’s really about not missing out on opportunities,” he said. “That’s why we’re in the main event. It’s great to see how the UFC is looking at me, what they see in me, and the opportunity they’re giving me to fight a guy who has been at the top forever. It’s just an amazing opportunity.”
But the full magnitude of the opportunity hadn’t sunk all the way in for Costa when we spoke on Tuesday morning, as he had not yet sat down, Sharpie in hand, ready to autograph a never-ending stack of posters featuring a closeup of his face.