Melquizael Costa has announced he is moving up to lightweight, citing the unsustainable physical toll of cutting 22 kilograms for each fight. Before establishing himself in the featherweight division, Costa competed at 155 lbs in his UFC debut against Thiago Moises. He went on to win six consecutive fights at featherweight before falling just short of the top ten.
Melquizael Costa is leaving the featherweight division behind, announcing a permanent move up to lightweight after revealing that cutting 22 kilograms for each fight had become physically unsustainable.
Costa, 29, enters the 155-pound division with a professional record of 26-8-0 and a reputation built on six consecutive featherweight wins that pushed him to the edge of the top ten. The Brazilian southpaw out of Chute Boxe Joao Emilio stands 178 cm with a 180 cm reach and has shown well-rounded skills throughout his UFC tenure, landing 4.29 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent accuracy rate while also contributing on the ground with 1.53 takedowns per 15 minutes. The move to lightweight is not entirely new territory for Costa — he actually debuted in the UFC at 155 pounds against Thiago Moises before dropping down to featherweight, where he built his winning streak.
That debut opponent, Moises, carries a record of 19-10-0 and remains active in the lightweight division at 31 years old. The American Top Team product is an orthodox fighter standing 175 cm with a 178 cm reach. He averages 2.48 significant strikes per minute and generates over one submission attempt per 15 minutes, making him a consistent threat on the mat.
Why it matters
- Costa returns to a division he has already competed in, giving him prior experience at the weight
- Six straight featherweight wins suggest he arrives at lightweight with real momentum behind him
- His combination of striking volume and takedown ability could translate well against a deep 155-pound roster
- The weight relief may unlock a more physically capable version of Costa than featherweight ever saw
