Injuries are an unavoidable part of the fight game. But not every MMA fighter lets them slow things down. With his seven-fight win streak gone in his last fight against Arnold Allen in May, UFC No. 13 featherweight Melquizael Costa is now forced to prepare for a nose surgery. 

“#13 ranked featherweight Melquizael Costa told me he is getting nose surgery tomorrow, an injury that he carried into his fight with Arnold Allen,” Danny Podolsky wrote on X. “Costa also confirmed plans to move up to Lightweight and is aiming to return to action [in] October.”

It’s understandable why Costa chose to fight despite being injured. After all, it was his first UFC main event appearance, one he lost. However, it’s unclear how he suffered the nose injury. In most cases, injuries like these occur during training camp. However, a nose injury is one of the most common types of injury for MMA fighters. 

‘The Dalmatian’ could have pulled out, but he would have not only missed out on a marquee opportunity but also risked developing a reputation for withdrawing from fights at the last minute, potentially slowing his rise in the UFC. At the same time, fighting with a pre-existing injury, especially one involving the nose, can have long-term consequences. 

Take former UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili, for example. The Georgian has broken his nose multiple times but has repeatedly postponed surgery, saying he plans to address it after retirement. While the specifics of Costa’s injury remain unknown, Dvalishvili’s case shows how repeated damage can leave the nose now visibly deformed.

Recovery timelines for nose injuries can vary significantly depending on their severity. Dvalishvili was reportedly told his nose could take over a year to fully heal. Costa, meanwhile, is targeting a return in October, just four months from now, which suggests his injury may not be as serious. Regardless, this marks the Brazilian’s second notable injury in almost exactly a year.

On May 18 last year, Costa suffered a gruesome toe injury when he split it open midway through his fight against Julian Erosa. Despite the setback, he went on to win the bout and earned a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. In any case, the likes of Sean Sharaf, Sean Strickland, Mike Perry, Rich Franklin and several other MMA fighters have all broken their noses, but it didn’t affect their careers. 

Then there’s his move to lightweight, one of the most stacked divisions in the UFC. 

Melquizael Costa is no stranger to lightweight

His move to lightweight makes more sense, it appears. He had to go through an arduous 48.5 lbs weight cut for the Allen fight, which is obviously not easy. This may have forced him to move up a division. With the move, Costa likely won’t break into the top 15 rankings immediately. 

But it will be interesting to see who he faces in the division. Moreover, this won’t be his first appearance at lightweight. All the way back in January 2023, Costa made his UFC debut under unusual circumstances.

Thiago Moisés was supposed to fight Guram Kutateladze at UFC 283 in a lightweight fight, but the latter was forced to pull out of the bout. This allowed Costa to step in at the last moment to replace Kutateladze. Although Costa lost the fight, he secured a spot on the UFC’s roster. 

Costa later moved down to featherweight and faced Austin Lingo, whom he defeated. What’s even more interesting is that Costa spent most of his career competing in the lightweight division when he was competing on regional circuits.

In any case, Costa’s surgery would go well, and he would make his comeback as he plans. But who do you think he will end up fighting next?