Paulo Costa’s Ethnicity, Parents & All About His Humble Background

Paulo Costa has been stuck in a pretty bad place when it comes to his UFC career, with just one win in the last five years. At 34 years old, he may need to get back on the winning column, as many contenders are coming up and may find themselves in the title picture before ‘Borrachinha’. Nevertheless, it’s always the task at hand that needs completing, and Costa would be hoping to get past Roman Kopylov at UFC 318 this weekend.

Paulo Costa’s fighting career and antics outside the Octagon are what have fans mostly fixated on. But like every other fighter, he’s got his own origin story as well. We’ll get to the fight this weekend, but before that, let’s take a look at the details surrounding his personal life, including his family and his life growing up. Here’s what we know.

Where is Paulo Costa from? Ethnicity and nationality

Paulo Costa stands out among the fierce Brazilian fighters battling it out in the UFC arena.  Born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, ‘Borrachinha’ proudly claims Brazilian nationality.  Determining Costa’s ethnic background proves challenging, as his hometown is a vibrant mix of various ethnic communities.  Belo Horizonte boasts a population comprised of 43.6 percent Caucasians, 42.6 percent multi-racial or Pardo individuals, and 13.5 percent people of African descent.  

Though his ethnic roots remain uncertain, one thing is clear: Paulo Costa’s religious beliefs and affiliations are well-defined.  The UFC middleweight star stands firm in his Christian faith, and you won’t believe what comes next!  The parents of the former title contender served as pastors in a church.  That reveals all you need to know about his religion.  Now, let’s dive into who his parents are.

Who are Paulo Costa’s parents?

Paulo Costa might be living his best life now, but it was not always the case for the Brazilian sensation. ‘Borr͏achinha’ was born in poverty to Carlos Roberto and Maria Augusta in 1991. His father used to do odd jobs to sustain his family. Costa grew up playing football and learning Muay Thai. The Brazilian sensation started training in Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu at a very early age, when he was 9.

When the UFC 147 PPV arrived in Brazil, the event got shifted from Rio de Janeiro to his hometown of Belo Horizonte. Paulo Costa and his brother, Carlos, begged their mother to allow them the chance to attend the show since they didn’t have any money of their own. And when their mother said yes, they made up their minds about building a career in fighting. “They came back and said, ‘This is what we want to do with our lives,” Costa’s mother said in an old interview. But did you know that fighting wasn’t the first job that got the UFC star paid? Let’s take a look at that front.

More about Paulo Costa’s early life and background

A lesser-known fact about Paulo Costa is that he wasn’t always involved in fighting. There was a time when ‘Borr͏achinha’ had to work multiple jobs to support his family. When he turned 17, Costa’s father lost his life to throat cancer, which became a turning point for Paulo Costa. He took up various jobs, such as a realtor, a Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office teacher, and more. So, if he was invested in doing such jobs, why did he start MMA again? Let’s find out.

As mentioned earlier, Paulo Costa was engaged in Muay Thai and fighting from a very early age. After a few years of training, he started doing jiu-jitsu. His prime motivation for having a career in MMA started when he watched his brother go into MMA. However, after the demise of his father, Costa stopped everything and started doing odd jobs. So, how did he end up in the UFC?

Well, Costa’s ambition was different, and his family knew that it would be a waste of talent if they stopped Paulo Costa from competing. His brother and mother took the responsibility to keep Paulo Costa engaged in fighting by working tedious jobs. A few years later, Costa started training in BJJ and MMA again. Fast forward to 2024, and Costa is one of the most recognized fighters in the UFC. Do you think he’ll be able to maintain his status come this Saturday? Drop your comments below.