Like many MMA fighters, he took some beatings in his early days. A necessary step when you are a beginner, but a school of humility that is not always easy to accept. Melquizael Costa accepted it. And he took the opportunity to become one of the most dangerous fighters in the world.
“I started training in 2010, when friends invited me to a gym,” the Brazilian said in 2023, when he made his UFC debut. I put on all the gear to practice standing combat and got knocked out. Then another friend asked me to come train jiu-jitsu, he was injured and told me he only needed one hand to submit me, which he did. I decided I needed to train to beat this guy. »
Fifteen years later, the frail, shy and untalented little child has given way to a 29-year-old UFC fighter with five victories in seven fights in the premier MMA organization. During the night from Saturday to Sunday, he will be entitled to an 8th duel, this time against the Frenchman Morgan Charrière. The promise of a spectacular clash, in a traditionally empty Las Vegas Apex but in front of millions of viewers.
“It was by fighting that I started to ignore my vitiligo”
When young, Melquizael Costa did not like to be seen. Affected by vitiligo, a chronic disease which causes depigmentation of certain surfaces of the skin, the Brazilian suffered from it during his childhood. “I didn’t want to take my clothes off in front of people, take photos with other people. I was like an animal and I avoided any human interaction,” he told the UFC.
Combat sports ultimately helped him overcome his shyness. “It wasn’t the kids discriminating, it was the parents stopping their kids from interacting with me or pushing them away. It was difficult. It was through fighting that I started to ignore this. At some point, I noticed that people didn’t really care anymore. At this point it was more in my head. »
The boy had talent. And he was going to show it quickly. From 2014, he won a series of victories in local competitions and ended up joining the UFC after 24 fights (19 wins and 5 losses). His adventure in the American organization, however, got off to a bad start, with a defeat in the second round against Thiago Moises, a former victim of Benoît Saint Denis. Despite another defeat, he nevertheless proved his worth with five victories, including two by submission.
During the night from Saturday to Sunday, it is Morgan Charrière who stands on the road from Melquizael Costa to Las Vegas. With 33 career fights, the Parisian is a lover of shows and bloody fights. This one should be no exception.
Worth a look
