Alessandro Costa is stepping in on short notice against Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night 278, and he’s targeting a grappling-heavy showcase at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Costa replaces Imanol Rodriguez in the flyweight matchup and brings a submission-minded approach, backed by six career tapouts and previous preparation for Schnell.
"It's 100 percent a great opportunity to use my jiu-jitsu, but also put on a show for the people," Costa said, adding, "Start upstairs, and yeah, absolutely there is an opportunity to finish on the ground."
Costa, 15-5 MMA and 3-3 UFC, said he is familiar with Schnell after a previously scheduled bout between them fell through. "I'm not underestimating him at all. I understand he's a tough opponent, but I do see a lot of opportunity to win. Actually, this is a fight that was scheduled about two years ago. I did an entire camp for him already, so I don't even see the problem taking this fight on short notice because he had prepared for him before."
After fighting only once in 2025, Costa is intent on staying active. "My goal this year was to do a minimum of three fights," he said, noting that he had already been training for a hoped-for July date. "I'm coming off a win, and that's motivating me a lot. I'm happy to have good health, which is important; my mind is at ease, and I'm confident I'm getting the win."
