Brazil's Paulo Costa collides with Russia's Roman Kopylov in the main card of UFC 318 in an exciting middleweight matchup that is sure to be explosive. Paulo Costa has tumbled down the 185-pound division owing to a poor run of four defeats from five fights. His opponent has won consecutive fights coming into the bout and is 6-1 from his last seven. Roman Kopylov is the bookmakers' favorite to clinch victory here. UFC 318 takes place this weekend at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
Bet on Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov with Bet365
- MMA: UFC Middleweight
- Where to Watch: ESPN+ PPV, TNT Sports, Discovery+, Max, DAZN, UFC Fight Pass, Kayo Sports, Sky Sports Now, Supersport
- Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
- Date: 19.07.2025 22:30 ET
Paulo Costa
The former UFC middleweight title challenger has struggled to secure a win in recent times. This is in stark contrast to his early years in the promotion when he won 13 straight fights and challenged for the title on the back of it. Since Paulo Costa lost to the then-middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 253 in late 2020, the 34-year-old has not hit prime form again. A decision win over Luke Rockhold has been the high point in a run that has produced defeats against Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Sean Strickland. The Brazilian’s last fight came in June 2024.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 34
- Height: 6'0"
- Reach: 72"
- Weight: 185 lbs (84kg)
- Record: 14-4
Roman Kopylov
The Russian moved into the ranked places with his sixth victory in seven fights, a run going back to 2022. A February 2024 setback to Anthony Hernandez is the only blot on his copybook in recent times. Roman Kopylov, who won the FNG middleweight title prior to signing for the UFC, rebounded from two defeats in his first two UFC fights to become an ascending force in the division. The southpaw claimed two splendid victories in his last fights, digging out a split decision over César Almeida last June before scoring a third-round TKO over Chris Curtis this year, delivering the knockout blow with a head kick. The 34-year-old will, however, face the toughest test of his career when he takes on Paulo Costa this weekend.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 34
- Height: 6'0"
- Reach: 75"
- Weight: 185 lbs (84kg)
- Record: 14-3
Betting Odds
Paulo Costa is a 2.065 underdog on Betway, which has the favorite at 1.39 to win. Over 2.5 rounds is 1.50 on 1xBet with the under at 2.48 odds. Paulo Costa by decision is 5.00 on Bet365, while Roman Kopylov by KO/TKO is 4.00. Read more here.
Bet on Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov with Bet365
