Bizarre UFC Vegas 83 walkout that left fans confused has roots in lifelong struggle with skin condition
UFC lightweight contender Melquizael Costa's peculiar walkout at UFC Vegas 83 left fans scratching their heads.
Costa faced Steve Garcia in a lightweight bout at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. Costa lost the fight via TKO, and the Brazilian continued to grapple with the referee, seemingly unaware of the fight's stoppage.
The setback marked his second loss in three UFC fights. However, the intriguing story behind his unorthodox walkout that perplexed fans sheds light on the fighter's resilience and unique way of confronting adversity.
The walkout music that perplexed fans was from a Brazilian cartoon called 'Galinha Pintadinha,' featuring a blue chicken with white spots, which is popular among babies and small kids in Brazil.
The unusual choice of the soundtrack had its roots in a previous confrontation where an opponent had used the character as an insult against Costa, referencing his skin condition.
Melquizael Costa's journey with vitiligo, a skin condition causing depigmentation, began at age four, altering not just his appearance but also shaping the reactions of those around him. Costa said in the past that he faced discrimination and misunderstanding, leading to depression and a retreat from social interactions.
MMA reporter Nolan King harped back to an old revelation by Costa to shed light on the choice of his walkout song, in which the Brazilian had said:
"My fight before the one I had in Mexico, my opponent called me 'Galinha Pintadinha'. It's a blue chicken with white dots that's very famous with babies and small kids in Brazil. He called me that character. I looked at his profile, and I saw his profile was 'Pitbull."
"So when we came to the faceoff, I went at him and I said, 'You called me Galinha Pintadinha, right? Be certain that this Dalmatian will crush the pit bull.' I used my condition to raise myself and put myself in the same situation as him. I don't care if you call me Galinha Pintadinha or call me a Dalmatian. You can call me a Dalmatian all you want. I don't care because this Dalmatian will always crush the pit bull."
Check out the tweet below: