Former middleweight title contender Paulo Costa has concerned fans ahead of his fight on the UFC 318 card featuring Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier.

Paulo Costa returns this Saturday for a thrilling middleweight battle against Roman Kopylov at UFC 318 after two consecutive losses. The post Khamzat Chimaev Responds to Paulo Costa Fiery Threat at UFC 318: “Don’t Cry” appeared first on FirstSportz.

Costa's comeback arrives just one month before the division's title is contested between UFC champion Dricus du Plessis and undefeated challenger Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319. Although he has some work to do before he nears a second-career title shot, Costa isn't letting go of his old rivalry with Chimaev.

Just like UFC 318 headliner Dustin Poirier, Costa has not fought since UFC 302 last June. As an aside, Kevin Holland was also on that UFC 302 card and faces Daniel Rodriguez on the UFC 318 main card in what will be Holland’s fifth appearance since UFC 302.

Costa (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) and Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) were booked to fight at UFC 294 in October 2023, but Costa wound up withdrawing due to injury. Their rivalry dates back to a heated run-in at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas prior to Chimaev's UFC 279 win over Kevin Holland in September 2022.

On the second episode of UFC 318 "Embedded," Paulo Costa finishes his camp feeling the utmost confident before his fight.

Paulo Costa finally storms back into the octagon at UFC 318 this weekend (Sat., July 19, 2025) against No. 14-seeded Roman Kopylov, aiming to rediscover the ferocious "Borrachinha" that once electrified fans.