Few people have had a harder time of the past few years than frontline healthcare professionals. Doctors, nurses, and paramedics all over the world have worked countless hours over the course of this pandemic, with an entire generation of medical students thrust into a global health crisis fresh out of college. There’s one nurse, however, who has a harder time than most: she was allegedly attacked by UFC middleweight Paulo Costa.
The CDC requires non-US citizens “to show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before you travel by air to the U.S. from a foreign country” and “show a negative result of a COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board a flight to the United States.”
Paulo Costa Allegedly Assaults Nurse Over Vaccination Card
Last year, Paulo Costa said he wasn’t getting the COVID-19 vaccine because he’d had COVID twice already, and was skeptical about the mid- to long-term effects of vaccination. Presumably, he needed a certificate to get into the United States to fight Luke Rockhold at UFC 278. The issue all stemmed from Costa wanting the certificate, but not the vaccine.
Allegedly, Costa told the nurse at his local medical center that he was vaccinated, and demanded an immunization card that would allow him entry into the US. When the healthcare worker refused, he grabbed a certificate, and while attempting to leave, the nurse attempted to restrain him. That’s when Costa allegedly saw fit to throw an elbow.
Paulo Costa Allegedly Assaults Nurse Over Vaccination Card
A statement from local police described the incident: ““The suspect, aged 31, and the victim, aged 26, were taken to the Contagem precinct, where they were heard by the police authority, which requested the forensic examination.
At the time, the woman expressed interest in pressing criminal charges against the fighter, and the Civil Police wrote a Circumstantiated Term of Occurrence (TCO), in which both sides agreed to appear in a hearing before the Special Criminal Court of the municipality.”
Paulo Costa is riding a two-fight losing streak, having failed to capture the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya, and subsequently losing to Marvin Vettori despite missing weight for the fight by twenty-five pounds. He needs a UFC win to retain his title contender status, but Paulo Costa, if he faces charges for this assault, may have trouble even entering the United States to compete, vaccine card or not.
Let us know your thoughts on Paulo Costa’s alleged assault on a healthcare worker in the comments.
