MMA Match Preview: Paulo Costa (14-4) vs. Roman Kopylov (14-3)

Fight Details

Event: UFC 318: Holloway vs. Poirier 3

Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025

Time: 9:00 PM ET (Main Card)

Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

Weight Class: Middleweight (185 lbs / 83.9 kg)

Broadcast: ESPN+ PPV

Fighter Profiles

Fighter	Paulo Costa	Roman Kopylov
Nickname	“Borrachinha”	—
Record	14-4-0	14-3-0
Age	34	33
Height	6’1″	6’0″
Reach	72″	75″
Stance	Orthodox	Southpaw
UFC Rank	Unranked	Unranked

Costa was once a title contender with explosive power and a relentless forward style.

Kopylov is a surging striker with 12 of his 14 wins coming by KO/TKO.

Recent Form & Momentum

Paulo Costa – Last 5 Fights

Loss vs. Sean Strickland (Jun 2024)

Loss vs. Robert Whittaker (Feb 2024)

Win vs. Luke Rockhold (Aug 2022)

Loss vs. Marvin Vettori (Oct 2021)

Loss vs. Israel Adesanya (Sep 2020)

Roman Kopylov – Last 5 Fights

Win vs. Chris Curtis (Jan 2025)

Win vs. Cesar Almeida (Jun 2024)

Loss vs. Anthony Hernandez (Feb 2024)

Win vs. Josh Fremd (Sep 2023)

Win vs. Claudio Ribeiro (Jul 2023)

Kopylov enters on a two-fight win streak, while Costa has lost four of his last five, raising questions about his trajectory.

Tactical Breakdown

Paulo Costa

Strengths: Brutal body shots, high-volume striking (6.22 significant strikes/min), physicality

Weaknesses: Defensive lapses (absorbs 6.56 strikes/min), inconsistent fight week preparation

Strategy: Pressure early, target Kopylov’s body, avoid prolonged exchanges

Roman Kopylov

Strengths: Crisp boxing, knockout power, composure under fire

Weaknesses: Limited grappling, slower footwork

Strategy: Counter Costa’s aggression, exploit defensive gaps, finish inside two rounds