Paulo Costa’s UFC comeback: Will he reclaim his spot in the middleweight division?

If current plans go through, Paulo Costa, a former UFC middleweight title challenger, is set to make a comeback after more than a year away.

This comeback could take place as part of this year’s International Fight Week, where a fight between Costa and Roman Kopylov is scheduled.

After a disappointing fight against Sean Strickland last summer at UFC 302, which ended in a decision in Strickland’s favor, Costa has announced a return to his style, which is well known to fans.

Costa is ready to return and finish where he left off. According to reports, the fight between Costa and Roman Kopylov could take place on June 28, 2025, at UFC 317.

UFC 317: What can we expect?

Roman Kopylov, a Russian fighter who started 2025 in impressive fashion, will be an interesting challenge for Costa. Roman knocked out Chris Curtis with a spectacular "high kick" in the final seconds of the fight earlier this year, showing the UFC world that he is a fighter of high quality.

Prior to that knockout, Kopylov had a win over Cesar Almeida, while his only loss in his last seven fights came to Anthony Hernandez. With 12 of his 14 wins by knockout, Kopylov plans to do the same against his opponent.

The fight, which has generated interest among MMA fans, will likely decide who'll remain a ranked fighter in the UFC middleweight division and who will be forced out of the top 15.

Costa is currently ranked 12th, while Roman is 15th. Given their positions in the rankings, this will be a great chance for both fighters to silence their doubters.

There is no doubt that this fight can bring excitement, but also surprise. It's really hard to give harsh predictions about what we can expect regarding this fight, but there is no doubt that this will be a match that can meet expectations, considering the qualities that both fighters possess.