Throwback: When Paulo Costa trolled Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and Jorge Masvidal over their mugshots

Paulo Costa, who is scheduled to take on Robert Whittaker at UFC 298, once taunted multiple roster-mates, including Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and Jorge Masvidal, over their legal troubles. Specifically, 'Borrachinha' took to X/Twitter to share a collage of mugshots of countless UFC fighters and even one ring girl.

Costa shared the collage in December, asserting that fans would never see him on a mugshot. Besides Jones and McGregor, other notable UFC champions he taunted include former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill, ex-heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, and former double champion B.J. Penn.

He also mocked world-renowned MMA star Nick Diaz, lightweight knockout artist Michael Johnson, light heavyweight contender Volkan Oezdemir, and even octagon girl Arianny Celeste. While no mugshot of Costa is circulating the internet, 'Borrachinha' has not led a career without controversy.

Back on May 31, 2022, Costa was questioned by law enforcement in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, over an incident in which he allegedly assaulted a nurse. The altercation is said to have risen over Costa attempting to flee from a medical facility with a filled-in COVID-19 vaccination card without being vaccinated.

While no charges were filed, Costa was fortunate to have escaped without a mugshot of his own. Conversely, most of the controversies that 'Borrachinha' has been involved in revolve around his propensity for withdrawing from fights and his previous refusal to make weight for a middleweight bout with Marvin Vettori.

Many questioned whether he was taking his career as a fighter seriously, but he now appears to be determined to rebuild himself and fight for the middleweight title once again.

---

How long has it been since Paulo Costa fought?

UFC 289 will be the first time that Paulo Costa has stepped inside the octagon since Aug. 20, 2022. Thus, it has been four years since the Brazilian bruiser fought, with his last matchup being a grueling unanimous decision over the now-retired Luke Rockhold at UFC 278.

Despite being victorious, the fight did Costa no favors, as Rockhold—who had lost three of his last four fights by knockout at the time—looked more competitive against him than he had in years.