“Pre-COVID Costa is back!” That’s the war cry from Paulo Costa after his explosive performance against Roman Kopylov at UFC 318. Once a wrecking machine in the UFC, Costa’s momentum took a brutal hit after a severe staph infection derailed his rise. Consecutive losses to Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker forced him to hit reset, but the Brazilian brawler didn’t fold. Instead, he stormed back with a vengeance. UFC 318 wasn’t just a fight; it was a statement. Now back in the green zone, Costa proudly revealed the battle scars of war.

Paulo Costa knew exactly what he had to do. He maintained his distance and battered Kopylov with early leg kicks, steadily chopping him down. Throughout all three rounds, Costa controlled the momentum of the fight, ensuring that Roman didn’t have a single second of control time. While his kicks did win him the match, they certainly left him injured. Taking to his social media handles, Paulo Costa shared two images showcasing his bruised legs, captioning them, “That’s what happens when you kick bones.”

Injuries are part of the game, but for Costa, this win was crucial, his first since 2022. Immediately after winning the fight, Paulo Costa intensified the beef with his old foe, Khamzat Chimaev. “Everybody knows I hate that guy, everybody knows who that motherf—–r [Khamzat] Chimaev is. He’s a big as—-e. He says bad things about me about [my wife]. He is a coward. I’m going to chase you. I will not stop until I get to you,” said Costa in the Octagon interview.

Costa even accused Chimaev of DMing his girlfriend when they were rivals. Well, Chimaev certainly hit back, taking to his X handle to write, ‘It was she who wrote to me, habibi.” Well, the Chechen will be fighting for the title against Dricus Du Plessis on UFC 319, and guess what, Paulo Costa will be on the cageside to witness the fight, so we might expect some really good rivalry out there. Now that Costa is back in the winning column, what’s next for him? Let’s find out.

What’s coming for Paulo Costa after UFC 318?

Before UFC 318, Paulo Costa was ranked #11 in the middleweight division, and that ranking is expected to rise following his victory over Roman Kopylov. Just ahead of him sits Caio Borralho, who has been unstoppable in his UFC run. Known as the captain of the Fighting Nerds, Borralho has shown no fear in choosing his opponents. However, he is already booked to face Nassourdine Imavov.

Above him is Reinier De Ridder, but he is also booked against Robert Whittaker. So, what’s next for Costa? Well, the UFC might book him against Brendan Allen next, as both of them are now riding a one-fight winning streak. If not Allen, then the promotion might book him against Jared Cannonier, who is currently sitting comfortably at #6th in the middleweight rankings. Interestingly, both of them were supposed to fight back in 2021, but Costa withdrew from the fight.

These two fights are the next big matchups the UFC could make for Costa. But what if Khamzat Chimaev wins the belt at UFC 319? His rivalry with Paulo Costa is certainly something the fans want to see. While the UFC CEO might consider the matchup, it’s unlikely to be made just yet, as Costa needs a few more wins before he can fight for the title again.