Alessandro Costa Record: 16-5-0

From the regional circuit to the Octagon

Costa's career began in earnest with a first-round armbar of Jorge Gonzalez in December 2015, the kind of quick finish that would become a theme. His UFC arrival, however, came with an immediate test: in December 2022 he was stopped by punches in the third round by the highly ranked Amir Albazi, a hard introduction to the level at the top of the division.

UFC run

Costa bounced back impressively. In June 2023 he finished veteran Jimmy Flick with elbows in the second round, then ran into another contender in Steve Erceg, dropping a unanimous decision in November 2023. He answered with a second-round TKO of Kevin Borjas at UFC 301 in May 2024. A third-round TKO loss to Alden Coria in September 2025 stung, but Costa rebounded sharply in 2026, stopping Stewart Nicoll with a second-round punch to the body and then finishing veteran Matt Schnell with first-round punches to close out a strong stretch.

Fighting style

Costa is one of the more complete finishers in the flyweight division, with an 81 percent finish rate and a near-even split between his weapons: seven knockouts and six submissions among his 16 wins, plus three decisions. The black-belt jiu-jitsu is the foundation – armbars are a signature – but years training in Mexico have turned his hands into a genuine threat, and his recent run has leaned on body work and pressure striking. The honest caveat is durability: all three of his losses by finish have come via knockout, suggesting he can be hurt by the division's sharpest punchers, even as his own offense remains dangerous in every phase.

Career highlights

• Two-way finishing threat — owns an 81 percent finish rate with a near-even split of seven knockouts and six submissions.
• UFC bounce-back wins — rebounded from losses with finishes of Jimmy Flick and Kevin Borjas to stay relevant in a deep flyweight class.
• Strong 2026 stretch — stopped Stewart Nicoll and then veteran Matt Schnell to put together back-to-back finishes.