Melquizael Costa moves to lightweight after body struggles with featherweight cuts

Melquizael Costa is leaving featherweight behind. The Brazilian UFC fighter announced on the MMA HOJE podcast that he is moving up to lightweight, ending his run in a division where he had built a six-fight winning streak before falling to Arnold Allen by unanimous decision last month.

“It was a good run in this category, but my body can’t handle cutting 22 kilos for each fight anymore,” Costa wrote on social media, confirming the move.

The decision marks a significant shift for the 26-8 fighter, known as “The Dalmatian.” Costa made his UFC debut in 2023 and went 1-2 in his first three outings before stringing together six consecutive victories, four of which came by finish. The run established him as a credible featherweight presence, but Allen — a top contender in the division — outclassed him in a technical affair that appeared to crystallise doubts about the weight cut’s long-term toll.

A potential matchup with Jean Silva, whom Costa had publicly called out, now appears off the table. Silva competes at featherweight, and with Costa moving up a class, the two are unlikely to share the cage under current circumstances.

Costa’s transition to lightweight opens a new chapter, though he enters a stacked division that includes champion Islam Makhachev and a deep roster of ranked contenders. How quickly he can establish himself at 155 pounds — and whether the extra weight brings the physical relief he is seeking — remains to be seen.