• 30-Year-Old from Brazil Earns Dominant First-Round TKO Victory and $25,000 Finish Bonus

LAS VEGAS, June 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- What a finish! Monster Energy congratulates MMA athlete Alessandro Costa on defeating Matt Schnell at the UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas on Saturday night. In the Prelims fight contested at catchweight, the 30-year-old from Manaus, Brazil, earned the victory via brutal first-round TKO stoppage. The dominant performance also earned Costa the UFC's $25,000 Finish Bonus payout.

UFC Fight Night 278 - Muhammad vs. Bonfim, also known as UFC Vegas 118, was contested in front of a live crowd of spectators inside the Meta APEX facility in Las Vegas. Featuring a total of five bouts on the Main Card and seven Prelims matchups, the entire event was broadcast live on the Paramount+ service.

In Saturday night's Prelims fight, Monster Energy's Costa (16-5) stepped into the Octagon looking to build his win streak after stopping Stewart Nicoll via a brutal TKO at the UFC Fight Night in Vegas in April 2026. Costa took the fight on nine days' notice and did not receive the opportunity to run a full camp. The fight was therefore contested at catchweight (130 pounds), instead of Costa's usual Flyweight class.

Saturday night's opponent, 36-year-old American Schnell (17-11), came to Las Vegas looking to redeem himself after a submission loss to Joseph Morales in November 2025. Schnell had initially retired in 2024 but decided to return to the Octagon to ride out his current UFC contract.

The fight started on a strategic note as Costa took his time to gauge his opponent and identify opportunities to strike while dodging high kicks and quick jabs. As Schnell pressed forward, Costa countered with a well-timed overhead right and broke through with a fierce right hand that visibly stung his opponent near the three-minute mark.

In the decisive moments of the fight, Costa rocked Schnell with a heavy right hook and turned a defensive takedown attempt to his advantage. Taking Schnell's back, Costa rained down hammer fists on his defenseless opponent until referee Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight at 2:32 minutes of the first round. Saturday's TKO victory marks the second consecutive knockout win for Costa and earned him the UFC's $25,000 Finish Bonus.

"I love to be active, and being in Diego [Lopes] camp last week, I was ready to come in here. I'm very happy about this win and will continue to train, continue to work, and get wins and bonuses," said Monster Energy's Costa upon claiming the victory at UFC Vegas 118.

Currently rising through the UFC's Flyweight division, Costa is building an impressive record: In his MMA career, the Brazilian upstart has now earned nine victories via first-round finish, seven wins via knockout, and six via submission. Stay tuned for what's next for Costa!

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Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes include Alex Pereira, Belal Muhammad, Dricus Du Plessis, Merab Dvalishvili, Valentina Shevchenko, Weili Zhang, Marlon Vera, Justin Gaethje, Brandon Moreno, Johnny Walker, Sean Strickland, Dan Ige, Diego Lopes, Daniel Zellhuber, Derrick Lewis, Alexa Grasso, Raul Rosas Jr., Tatsuro Taira, Shara Magomedov, Maycee Barber, Aaron Pico, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Kayla Harrison, Malcolm Wellmaker, Mansur Abdul-Malik, Manuel Torres, Joshua Van, Reinier de Ridder, Alessandro Costa, Esteban Ribovics, Youssef Zalal, Jiri Prochazka, Manel Kape, Payton Talbott, and Mikey Musumeci.

For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser.

About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock-and-roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy, including all of its drinks, at www.monsterenergy.com.

CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: kim.dresser@indiepragency.com

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