After his June 2025 loss to Nazim Sadykhov in Baku, Nikolas Motta got a large gladiator scene across his chest. The black-and-gray tattoo shows a Roman arena, helmet and lion-decorated shield. Motta described it as a reminder of resilience and commitment, not a marker of a win.
The gladiator chest tattoo
The design spans both pectorals. In the angled artist photo, the arena fills Motta’s right chest, while the helmet sits high on the left and the shield rests closer to the center. Dark shading ties the pieces together without boxing them into a single frame.
The arena is drawn at an angle, with stacked arches and a broken-looking upper edge. That view gives the building a curve; shadows deepen inside the arches and lighter marks pick out the stonework. The helmet’s broad outline and dark face plate make it the main focal point near the shoulder.
The chest tattoo up close
A frontal close-up shows round openings in the helmet’s face plate, a seam down the middle and lighter marks that suggest worn metal. The shield carries a lion’s head, a curling shape beneath it, a geometric rim and small fastener-like dots. A strap with a visible buckle crosses the left pectoral below the helmet.
The closer view also shows fine marks in the arena that suggest masonry, with several upper sections appearing broken away. Black-and-gray shading keeps the arches, helmet and shield distinct. Motta’s right-arm sleeve appears at the edge of the artist photos: broad shaded forms and pale, radiating shapes near the elbow. The interview about his chest tattoo gives no explanation for that sleeve, so its designs and meaning are unclear.
In a July 2025 MMA Fighting report, tattoo artist Italo Nanais identified the figure as a Murmillo gladiator. Nanais said the commission brought together physical struggle, mental strength and emotional endurance. Motta said he wanted a lasting reminder of the mindset he took from the Sadykhov loss. The report puts the tattooing at about 16 hours. For another fighter’s extensive coverage, see Alessio Sakara’s tattoos.
Career context: earning a UFC contract
A November 2020 Contender Series photo shows Motta on the right in gray trunks, kicking Joe Lowry. The chest scene came later. Before earning his UFC contract through Contender Series, Motta had also appeared on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 4.
In a September 2022 UFC interview, he spoke about leaving home to train and spending long stretches away from family and friends. That’s part of his career story, but it doesn’t explain every tattoo.
Life inside the Octagon
In this September 2022 fight photo, Motta throws a punch at Cameron VanCamp. Motta is on the left in gray-and-white shorts with red wrist tape; the extensive tattoos on the right belong to VanCamp. The earlier cage images also show how much less crowded Motta’s chest looked before the gladiator piece.
Motta has said he enjoys the physical contest and wants to entertain, while also working to make smarter decisions in the cage. The comments sit alongside the action photo without turning it into a story about the chest tattoo.
Life inside the training room
A January 2024 warm-up photo shows Motta kicking a trainer’s Fairtex pad before a fight at the UFC APEX. The gym floor and cage in the background make this a different kind of view from the still artist portraits, and the date places it before the gladiator tattoo.
In a November 2024 interview, Motta discussed training in Thailand for a fight with Maheshate in Macau, working with the Hickman brothers and living in Las Vegas while training at Xtreme Couture.
Career context: fight-night introductions
A February 2022 weigh-in photo shows Motta with his right hand raised and his upper chest still mostly clear. Along with the 2020 and January 2024 images, it helps place the gladiator work later in his career.
The UFC interview below followed Motta’s January 2024 finish of Tom Nolan, before he got the chest tattoo. It offers an earlier view of him talking after a fight.