Erase Or Be Erased: The Tale Of Paulo Costa

Last Updated:July 18, 2025, 12:45 IST

Paulo Costa, "The Eraser," faces Roman Kopylov at UFC 318. With one win in his last five fights, Costa aims to revive his reputation and prove he's still a top contender.

UFC Star, Paulo Costa. (Getty Images)

If Paulo Costa were a superhero, his power would be sheer, unadulterated violence—delivered with a megawatt smile and the swagger only Brazilian fighters seem to master. At 34, Costa, aka “The Eraser," finds himself teetering on the edge between revival and irrelevance.

In an exclusive conversation with News18 Sports, he revealed his plans to resurrect the Costa that once faced the juggernaut Yoel Romero, and emerged triumphant.

He now faces a career-defining crossroads at UFC 318 against the surging Roman Kopylov. This fight? It’s not just another number on his record. It’s about recultivating the fearsome aura that once made Borrachinha (his Brazilian nickname, meaning “Little Rubber Man," a nod to his early flexibility) the division’s boogeyman.

Costa’s name is still synonymous with fireworks, but lately, the explosions have fizzled—just one win in his last five bouts, dropping him to 13th in the rankings and shaking the faith of even his staunchest fans.

The Ascent

Let’s rewind. Costa’s journey began in the rough-and-tumble streets of Contagem, Brazil. As a kid dodging street scraps, he picked up Muay Thai at nine, following the path blazed by his older brother, Carlos, himself a professional fighter.

The UFC debut came in 2017. It was brutal, it was efficient, and it was the start of a storm: he bulldozed Garreth McLellan with a first-round TKO. Thirteen fights, thirteen wins, eleven finishes by knockout—Costa quickly embodied the phrase “must-see TV."

A fighting style that was pure, controlled chaos: relentless forward pressure, sledgehammer fists, an iron chin, and tank-like cardio. He was a force willing to take a punch to give back three.

Costa’s defining moment? The Yoel Romero war at UFC 241—fifteen minutes of mutual destruction, both fighters trading seismic shots that would have crushed mere mortals. The win, via unanimous decision, was cemented in the memory of any fan who loves a slugfest. After this victory, the buzz was deafening: Costa was THE shark in a pool full of guppies.

Anatomy of A Fall

Then came September 27, 2020; UFC 253: Costa vs. Adesanya. Two undefeated titans, a packed Fight Island, the stakes sky-high. The hype was real—until reality struck.

Adesanya demonstrated why technical brilliance trumps brute force. Turkey-feather light on his feet, Adesanya chopped away Costa’s lead leg, picked him apart from range, and eventually sent him crashing to the canvas with a pinpoint left hand.

A minute left in round two, and Costa’s perfect record was erased—his powerful, pressure-heavy style outclassed by the Kiwi’s footwork and precision.

The aftermath? Rocky. Costa’s confidence evaporated; his aura, unspooled. He followed up with losses against Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, Sean Strickland, and a wild win over Luke Rockhold that was less vintage Costa, more desperate brawl.

Weight cut disasters, flaky training camps, and a refusal—or maybe an inability—to evolve his game surfaced. The “Eraser" was stuck erasing his own legacy.

The Secret Juice Era

But Costa isn’t just a gladiator—he’s also an entertainer. In MMA, if you can’t keep winning, you’d better stay interesting.

Thus emerged the “secret juice" era: a running gag involving his ever-present coloured drink, riffing on the whispers of PED use that haunt many elite athletes. Instead of shying away, Costa leaned in. His “secret juice" caught on as a meme, an inside joke among fans and fighters alike.

Playing the character is no accident. Costa described himself as “a super funny guy" to News18 Sports. Someone who thrives on “the most trash comedy" and takes mischievous pleasure in stories about pilfering food from training partners.

He’s riding the meme train so hard, there are plans to sell “secret juice" worldwide.

Saturday Night and the Stakes

This weekend, Costa’s not squaring off against just any opponent. Roman Kopylov is a dangerous test—a slick striker from Russia, ranked 14th, and red-hot off six wins in his last seven, including an eye-popping head-kick KO of Chris Curtis. Kopylov brings the kind of risk that separates gatekeepers from comeback kings.

Costa’s promise? To bring back the pressure-heavy Costa of old at UFC 318. “I was looking to be faster and more footwork in the last two fights," he admits.

“Now I bring back the old style that I had, which means just chase and pressure and cut the angles, you know, be right there to punch, punch hard as I can."

In characteristic bravado, Costa insists, “I’m feeling very good. I think I’m in my prime now, you know, I’m 34. I’m here in UFC since 27 years old, but I feel more mature, I feel, but still with a lot of desire to fight, you know, hungry, I’m feeling hungry"

There’s urgency, too—he knows his back is to the wall. Even Israel Adesanya, his old nemesis, has poked him to “get serious" and “show some balls." For Costa, this is less about rankings and more about redemption.

Beyond the Brawls

Costa isn’t blind to what’s at stake. Asked about his legacy, he dreams big: “a great fighter, a great warrior, and a good personality as well. A great personality. Yeah, a good human being as well—most important, right?"

It’s the statement of a man who has crashed, burned, and wants to prove there’s more to his story than a string of knockouts or defeats.

When asked of Dustin Poirier—who headlines the card, and despite missing out on gold, walks away with legacy points through sheer heart and highlight wins, he said, “I think Dustin just has a great legacy. He beat Conor McGregor twice and all the big names. So he deserves all the credit.

“He deserves rest as well and all support that fans can give to him."

Costa needs to convince both himself and the world that the fired-up Eraser of 2017-19 is still in there—behind the memes, the wild interviews, and the training missteps. He needs to be what made him a superstar: meaner, more confident, and, above all, violently entertaining.

He says as much: “dangerous than before because now I have more experience and my power, my strength is the same."

For Paulo Costa, UFC 318 isn’t just about winning a fight—it’s a shot at redemption and rewriting his story. Is the Eraser ready for a fresh page—or will the curtain fall? As the Octagon door closes Saturday night, one thing is guaranteed: fun, fireworks, and just maybe, a second act worth the legend.

Watch UFC-318 – Holloway vs. Poirier 3 on 20th July 2025 at 7:30 AM IST LIVE On Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 Hindi SD & HD , Sony Sports Ten 4 Tamil & Sony Sports Ten 4 Telugu

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