Costa takes short-notice Schnell fight before cornering Lopes at UFC White House

Alessandro Costa is doubling up in June, accepting a short-notice flyweight bout against Matt Schnell at UFC Vegas 118 on June 6 before travelling to Washington, D.C. to work the corner for teammate Diego Lopes at the UFC White House event on June 14.

The Brazilian stepped in to replace Imanol Rodriguez against Schnell with fewer than 10 days to prepare — a matchup that nearly happened once before. The two were originally scheduled to meet in September 2024, but Costa was forced to withdraw through injury. With a full camp’s worth of game-planning already done, he told MMA Fighting the preparation came together quickly. He also requested the bout be contested at 130 pounds, saying hitting the flyweight limit on such short notice “would have been complicated.”

Costa arrives at the fight in form. In April he floored Stewart Nicoll with a left hook to the liver to earn a performance bonus, his third UFC victory and third by knockout. He is measured about Schnell, crediting the American’s experience while arguing his development has stalled. “He’s the same fighter he was three or four fights ago,” Costa said. “My confidence is much stronger now. A lot has changed for me over the last two years. I’ve gained a lot of experience through wins and losses, and I’ve learned a lot.”

The team’s recent run of results has created a charge of momentum that Costa wants to carry into Lopes’s outing against Steve Garcia on the White House lawn. Alexa Grasso’s finish over Maycee Barber the week before Costa’s own win set the tone, and he described the group feeding off each other’s energy. “Our team is getting back on its feet again,” he said. “It all started with Alexa. Her win really motivated me. I could feel that energy, like everything could work out.”

The team deliberately staggered their fight dates so each athlete could receive undivided attention, a strategy Costa says has paid dividends. Now, with two bonuses banked, he is turning his focus to Lopes. “Diego is on the same vibe, man. He’s really fired up and happy,” Costa said. “I told him, ‘You’re next. You have to do the same or better than us, you can’t do less. You’re the leader of the team, you’ve got to do more.’ I think he took that not as pressure, but as extra motivation.”

Lopes faces Garcia on a card that carries its own historic weight, staged on the White House lawn in what the UFC has billed as an unprecedented venue. Costa, who was already in Oklahoma helping Lopes prepare when the call came to take the Schnell fight, will complete both assignments within the space of eight days.