At the UFC 324 main card, Natalia Silva will take on former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in a highly anticipated flyweight bout. Ahead of this exciting matchup, Silva is getting plenty of backing thanks to her elite striking and her seven-fight winning streak. A lot of the credit goes to Silva for the hard work she puts in, but as she continues to enjoy the fruits of her labor, there is also a coach behind the scenes who deserves recognition for her transformation.

While Silva’s previous performances have made her a fan favorite, she will be up against a highly experienced former champion who knows how to make things interesting. As the Minas Gerais native prepares to enter the Octagon on the first Paramount+ CBS card this weekend, let’s take a closer look at her coach, Carlos Costa. 

Who is Natalia Silva’s coach? Meet Carlos Borracha 

Currently, Natalia Silva trains under her longtime coach, Carlos ‘Borracha’ Costa, in her home country of Brazil. Under the name Team Borracha, a gym named after his moniker, Carlos runs the team alongside his famous UFC fighter brother Paulo Costa and serves as a co-owner. While ‘Borrachinha’ has grown into a global star in Dana White’s promotion, his brother chose a very different path.

According to Sherdog, ‘Borracha’ competed in two MMA bouts back in 2014 and won both of them. However, instead of continuing his fighting career after those victories, Carlos shifted his focus toward building the gym with his brother. Coaching and developing talent soon became his main priority.

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Along with Natalia and Paulo, the gym also features other notable names, including Wagner Reis, who came up through Team Borracha. The team is largely made up of rising talents, with a strong emphasis on striking and long-term development.

Now that we have a clearer picture of Natalia Silva’s coach, let’s shift our focus to her journey with Carlos Costa, as it stands out as a major part of her rise. 

How long has Silva been training under Borracha?   

As a primary taekwondo artist, Natalia Silva struggled during the early stages of her career to find consistent success. During her early days in the regional scene, she suffered back-to-back losses, and that pattern continued until the Brazilian crossed paths with Carlos Costa in 2017. With the new team, the UFC flyweight contender began competing at Jungle Fight, making a major turnaround in her career.

Now, nine years later in 2026, Silva has stayed loyal to Team Borracha as she continues to climb the ranks. The 28-year-old Minas Gerais standout has spoken often about her coach, but she showed particular gratitude toward Carlos in an interview with the UFC just before her debut.

“Absolutely. Ever since I moved from my hometown of Pingo d’Água, Minas Gerais, to Contagem, my career has completely changed. It’s a great team. Our head coach is Carlos Borracha. Besides coaching us, he’s always motivating us. Also having Paulo on the team, you see what he’s been doing in the sport. You see where he came from and where he is now. So that definitely motivates me, and it has definitely prepared me for this moment,” the Brazilian told UFC before her debut against Jasmine Jasudavicius in 2022.

As Silva revealed, the Costa brothers run Team Borracha together, each contributing in their own way. Still, Carlos remains the man in charge day to day, while his MMA star brother continues chasing glory at the UFC. With that level of support behind her, Silva is expected to perform at a high level, so let’s find out how her career took shape after joining Team Borracha. 

How has Natalia Silva’s career progressed under Carlos Borracha  

After joining Carlos Costa and the team in 2017, Natalia Silva’s career trajectory only moved upward. While she did suffer one loss during that run against Marina Rodriguez at Thunder Fight 13, the Brazilian still went on to put together a 13-fight winning streak, which includes her highly impressive run inside the UFC.

Since training with Team Borracha, Silva has been on a seven-fight winning streak in the UFC. In her last seven fights, she faced some top contenders from the division, but her win over Jessica Andrade at UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Brady, followed by a victory over former champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315, turned her into a serious contender.

Now, Natalia Silva finds herself on the doorstep of a title shot as she prepares to face Rose Namajunas at UFC 324 on the first-ever Paramount+ CBS card. With so much at stake, do you think she can defeat the former champion and take the next step toward challenging the undisputed champ, Valentina Shevchenko? Let us know in the comments section below.