Former U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to congratulate Paulo Costa on his recent victory in Miami at UFC 327. Trump stated that Costa will definitely become a future UFC champion and mentioned speaking with him outside the ring after the win. The post suggests Costa fought in a higher weight class. Costa's recent performance appears to have impressed Trump, who publicly endorsed the Brazilian fighter's championship potential. The post invites readers to speculate on Costa's chances at a light heavyweight title.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump used social media to publicly congratulate Paulo Costa following Costa's victory at UFC 327 in Miami on April 11, 2026, going as far as to predict that the Brazilian fighter is destined to become a UFC champion. Trump also noted that he had spoken with Costa outside the ring after the bout.
Paulo Costa, known as "The Eraser," is a 35-year-old middleweight from Brazil fighting out of Team Borracha. He carries a professional record of 16-4-0 and is currently ranked 13th in the middleweight division. Standing six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa is one of the division's most aggressive strikers, landing an impressive 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent. Trump's post suggested Costa competed at a higher weight class at UFC 327, hinting at a move up to light heavyweight.
Why it matters
- A high-profile public endorsement from a sitting former president brings rare mainstream attention to Costa's championship ambitions.
- If Costa did compete at light heavyweight, it signals a potential divisional shift that could shake up both the 185-pound and 205-pound rankings.
- Costa's elite striking output would translate as a genuine threat to light heavyweights, giving any rumored division move credibility beyond political commentary.
- At 35, Costa's timeline for a title run in either division is a factor worth watching as he seeks to climb from his current 13th-place middleweight ranking.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
