Melquizael Costa has spoken out about what it’s like to live with a widely misunderstood skin condition.
The up-and-coming UFC featherweight was diagnosed with vitiligo as a child. The condition isn’t contagious. It causes the loss of skin colour in patches due to melanocytes being destroyed or failing to function, which leaves white areas on the skin.
Michael Jackson is often associated with this same condition, which affects how pigment is produced in the skin.
The Michael Jackson biopic quickly became a box-office hit after its release in April, drawing attention not just for its music but also for how it portrayed aspects of his life, including his skin condition.
Melquizael Costa, who lives with the same condition as the late pop icon, appreciated the film’s approach to telling that part of Jackson’s story.
“I’m a huge fan of Michael’s, and there’s a deep personal connection there,” Costa said during an interview with Bloody Elbow’s Filipe Guedes.
He went on to explain how that connection is still felt today. “A lot of people don’t know this, but there’s a World Vitiligo Day, and it falls on the day he died. So he’s become a symbol for everyone living with vitiligo.”
Costa added: “I really identified with the film. It was brilliant, and it was also helpful.”
Costa has faced similar assumptions about his own skin changes from people who don’t understand the condition.
“A lot of people still have this notion that Michael was racist, and I go through that myself today,” he said. “Even nowadays, I still face that. People have actually called me racist because my skin turned completely white.”
Costa spoke about the challenges he faced growing up with Vitiligo in Brazil before moving to Poland at 14.
“My childhood was quite difficult,” he recalled. “Many people thought I had some other kind of illness – even leprosy – which is highly stigmatised in Brazil.”
Melquizael Costa has found his stride, currently on a six-fight win streak after dropping two of his first three in the promotion.
His next outing will see him headline UFC Vegas 117 on May 16, marking his first main event appearance.
The 29-year-old faces a big test against #7-ranked featherweight Arnold Allen, which is easily the most significant fight of his career so far.
This card is stacked, with Ronda Rousey making her long-awaited return to action after a decade away from fighting. Francis Ngannou and Nate Diaz are also set to appear on Jake Paul’s MVP MMA 1 event.
Fortunately for fans, Costa vs. Allen won’t overlap directly with any of the other high-profile matchups scheduled for that night.
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