Like many Brazilian fighters, Alessandro Costa’s profession has been closely influenced by Jose Aldo. And being days away from sharing a card with the MMA legend, Costa has no drawback fanboying over this second.
Costa (13-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) fights Kevin Borjas (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on Saturday within the opening bout of UFC 301 in Brazil – the identical card the place Aldo makes his extremely anticipated return to MMA. Aldo, a former UFC and WEC featherweight champion, is popping out of MMA retirement to tackle rising contender Jonathan Martinez within the co-main occasion of the cardboard at Rio Area in Rio de Janeiro (pay-per-view, ESPN2, ESPN+).
It is a particular second for Costa, who’s nearly in disbelief that he’s sharing the identical card with the person that impressed him to start his fight sports activities journey 14 years go.
“For me, this can be a dream come true,” Costa instructed MMA Junkie in Spanish. “After I first began coaching jiu-jitsu after I was 14 years outdated, I might chat with my coach about how loopy would it not be to sooner or later be up there within the UFC preventing in an occasion with Jose Aldo. Due to him, I obtained a variety of motivation to start out preventing. He has a film referred to as Más Forte Que O Mundo the place it reveals his life and as an individual and an athlete he’s impressed me a ton.
“So after I heard he was preventing on the identical card, it was simply unimaginable. I’ve by no means met him. I don’t know him, this would be the first time I see him. Curiously sufficient, we’re each from Manaus, we’re from the identical metropolis. Really, my first newbie struggle was in his academy, the place he first began coaching.”
This dream of Costa’s nearly didn’t come to fruition, and in reality, only a few months in the past appeared not possible.
Aldo retired from MMA in September 2022 after dropping a choice to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278. He did resume a boxing profession after that, however was fairly clear that MMA was a closed chapter. Nevertheless, that each one modified in March when it was reported that Aldo was making a comeback at UFC 301.
“It is a dream,” Costa defined. “When he retired, I used to be like, ‘Oh, man. It’s not occurring,’ however then I obtained this struggle in Brazil, and it so occurs to be that my idol is making his return on the identical card. That is so cool. I’m so glad to be preventing in Brazil and be getting this chance to share the cardboard with somebody I like.”
On high of sharing a card with Aldo, this may also be the primary time Costa fights professionally in his homeland. The 28-year-old, who trains out of Brazilian Warriors and Lobo Gymnasium in Mexico, has solely fought within the U.S. and Mexico.
Throughout, this can be a memorable second in Costa’s profession.
“I began my MMA profession in Mexico, all of my profession has been there,” Costa stated. “I’m curious to see how the general public goes to deal with me. I’m not very well-known in Brazil. All of my profession has been in Mexico and now that I’m within the UFC, individuals in Brazil are simply beginning to get to know me. I’m glad to be preventing in Brazil as a result of my dad goes to have the ability to come, and I’m bringing my first coach, who was who obtained me began in all of this. They’re going to be there, in addition to pals. However above every little thing, with the ability to struggle on the identical card as certainly one of my idols Jose Aldo, it’s one thing that’s very particular.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 301.
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