Melquizael Costa had a whirlwind start to the year, traveling to Seattle in February where he quickly secured a submission victory over Andre Fili in under five minutes.
Just weeks later, his busy schedule continued as he landed in Mexico City and earned a decision win against Christian Rodriguez.
This Saturday in Las Vegas, Costa is set to face Julian Erosa, aiming for a remarkable 3-0 record within 85 days – a pace he hasn`t matched since his early career in Brazil, missing that personal record by just one day.
Speaking to MMA Fighting before his upcoming bout at UFC Vegas 106, Costa commented on the demanding schedule, stating, “The only difficult part is the weight cut. If it weren`t for that, I`d fight every weekend, like the Muay Thai fighters.” He admitted considering a move up in weight to facilitate this, but believes he still has “two or three years” left at featherweight (145 lbs) to “do some damage, win the belt, beat everybody up” before transitioning to lightweight (155 lbs).
Costa`s UFC journey began with a short-notice lightweight bout against Thiago Moises at UFC 283 in Rio, which he lost via second-round knockout. Following that, he competed at featherweight six months later, defeating Austin Lingo, but then returned to lightweight, losing to Steve Garcia. However, he has since found his stride at featherweight, securing three consecutive wins, including two finishes.
Reiterating his point about activity, Costa emphasized, “The biggest issue for me is the weight cut.” He noted improvements in his diet have helped lower his weight, but the cut remains significant, and his body “always goes back up” afterward. Fortunately, he added, he hasn`t sustained injuries in his recent bouts, allowing him to maintain his high level of activity.
Regarding his opponent, Julian Erosa, Costa believes he is potentially oversized for the featherweight division and anticipates him moving up eventually. The prospect of a third fight in under three months doesn`t deter Costa, partly because Erosa himself was recently active, finishing Darren Elkins on April 12th.
Costa explained his acceptance of the quick turnaround, stating, “I took this fight because Julian Erosa fought after me.” He humorously mused that he might hesitate to fight someone with a three-month prep time, but quickly corrected himself, admitting, “Nah, I`m lying, I think I`d still have taken it [laughs].” He concluded that Erosa`s recent activity made the matchup more appealing.
Erosa holds a record of nine wins in sixteen Octagon appearances, with six victories coming by stoppage, including finishes in his last three fights, all within the first round. Costa expressed enthusiasm for the stylistic matchup, predicting Erosa will attempt takedowns.
Describing the upcoming fight, Costa said, “It`s going to be fun because he walks forward and likes to trade on the feet.” He noted they both have strong guillotine chokes, adding, “so let`s see who locks it first.” Despite Erosa`s size, Costa observed he “doesn`t use that reach” and prefers to “close the distance.” Costa anticipates striking exchanges (“We`ll trade kicks”) followed by Erosa attempting takedowns. “Everybody does, man,” Costa joked, “In the end, everybody wants to take me to the ground [laughs].” However, he warned, “If he goes to the ground he`s dead, man. That`s my area.”
Marcus Blakely