· Former Chute Boxe Fighter, Welterweight Michael Costa Signs With Bellator
Bolstering their already impressive welterweight roster, Bellator announced yesterday the addition of original Chute Boxe Academy member and current Wand Fight Team Muay Thai head instructor Michael “The Big Boss” Costa. He joins fellow Wand teammate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor Vitor Vianna amid the promotion’s recent signings.
Eight years ago, at just 21 years of age, Costa began training under Rafael Cordeiro with the likes of such mixed martial arts luminaries as Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Maurcio Rua, and Fabricio Werdum, among others, at the legendary Chute Boxe Academy in Curitiba, Brazil. An accomplished fighter on the feet as well as on the ground, Costa holds a black belt in BJJ under Royler Gracie and a black belt in Muay Thai from Cordeiro.
“Michael Costa has all the tools to have a breakout year and his no-nonsense approach in the cage made him a perfect fit for Bellator”, Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. “His addition to our welterweight division makes a strong 170-pound class that much stronger.”
Costa (10-5-1), a veteran of both Storm Samurai and Sengoku, has five knockouts and four submission victories in his career. He last competed for South Texas Fighting Championships at “STFC 14: Texas vs. Las Vegas” in November of 2010, where he walked through Danny Salinas in the first round, picking up the technical knockout win.
As Bellator continues to grow and garner more fan and media recognition, the exposure and opportunity at hand have not been lost on the Brazilian fighter.
“Anyone that has seen me fight before knows that I fight with all my heart, and that I fight to finish my fights by knockout,” he said. “For me, fighting is a war. I want to finish all of my fights with Bellator so the fans remember my name."
