What pressure? Melquizael Costa feels at home as UFC Vegas 117 headliner

Melquizael Costa had about as good a breakthrough year as humanly possible in 2025 and carried that momentum into his first bout of 2026.

The opportunity earned him Saturday's UFC Fight Night 276 main event, and though the spotlight is brightest, Costa (26-7 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is basking in its glow.

"It's all new. It's all exciting. It's great," Costa told MMA Junkie through a Portuguest-language interpreter Tuesday. "... I always believed that I would fly high one day. I knew my time would come, and thankfully the organization saw that, too."

Costa started off his UFC career at 1-2 and saved his gig when he won the fourth bout on his entry-level promotional deal. Since re-signing, however, Costa has found consistency. He's won six fights in a row, most recently knocking out Dan Ige inside one round. He credits his team, Chute Boxe Joao Emilio for the success.

"It's 100 percent my team," Costa said. "My coaches and my teammates and everyone, we just kind of make a few adjustments. We're training hard, and we see the results. ... It's 100 percent physical conditioning and technique. My mind has always been good. I've always been pretty focused and have a good mind to go into it and beat these guys."

'It's about having goals'

Costa, 29, continues to check goals off his list. First, it was to make it to the UFC. Then to headline. So what's next? Well, that's to become a contender. He thinks he can do that Saturday at Meta APEX in Las Vegas by getting through Arnold Allen (20-4 MMA, 11-3 UFC).

"Really, it's about having goals," Costa said. "Last year, my goal was to fight four times, which I did. This year, my goal is to fight three times and fight for the title. Right off the bat, I got a top-15 guy, a real experienced guy. Now I'm getting Arnold Allen. It's a step up, but it seems to be going well."

Should he beat Allen and get a title shot, Costa is skeptical the division's current champion, Alexander Volkanovski, would be the one he faces.

"I don't even think I'm going to get to fight Volk," Costa said. "I think Volk is going to fight Evloev next, and I could see him retiring. Maybe I won't even be fighting him and I'll be fighting someone else for the belt. ... But it's also a personal dream of mine to fight Volk, so if before retiring he wants to face me, that'd be a pleasure."

Regardless of Saturday's outcome, the moment won't be lost on Costa. He's long strived for the biggest and best platforms to perform on but also to spread his message and inspire.

In 2022, before he joined the UFC, Costa told MMA Junkie about his goal to raise awareness and encourage acceptance for those who are different. It's something near and dear to him considering .