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Alessandro Costa believes his grappling skills could play a decisive role when he steps into the Octagon this weekend, and he’s confident they may even lead him to a finish.
The Brazilian flyweight is set to face veteran Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 278 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Costa sees plenty of opportunities to impose his ground game against the experienced American and capitalize on his strongest weapon – Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
“I definitely see this as a fight where I can showcase my jiu-jitsu and entertain the fans at the same time,” Costa said during the event’s media day. “Of course, I’m prepared to strike, but if the fight goes to the ground, I believe there’s a real chance to secure a finish.”
Costa accepted the matchup on short notice after stepping in for Imanol Rodriguez. Despite the limited preparation time, he feels comfortable with the challenge because it is not the first time he has prepared for Schnell.
“I have a lot of respect for Matt and everything he’s done in the sport,” Costa explained. “He’s a tough and experienced fighter, but I see openings that I can take advantage of. What gives me confidence is that this matchup was originally discussed a couple of years ago, and I went through a full training camp preparing specifically for him. Because of that, taking the fight on short notice didn’t feel like a problem.”
Looking beyond Saturday, Costa hopes to stay active for the remainder of the year. After competing only once in 2025, he wants to make up for lost time and return to the cage as often as possible.
“My goal coming into this year was to fight at least three times,” Costa said. “I was already preparing for a possible appearance in July, so I stayed in shape and kept training even without a signed contract. That helped me be ready when this opportunity came. I’m coming off a victory, I feel healthy, my confidence is high, and mentally I’m in a great place. Everything points toward a strong performance and another win.”
