Gor Azizyan has confirmed that UFC is working to organize a middleweight bout between Bogdan Guskov and Paulo Costa for UFC 328. The matchup would pit the rising Russian contender against the Brazilian veteran and former title challenger. Details on the event date and location remain unconfirmed. Azizyan expressed hope that the promotion will succeed in finalizing the fight. Both fighters are established names in the middleweight division and the bout would carry significant rankings implications.
According to Bogdan Guskov's manager Gor Azizyan, the UFC is working to put together a middleweight clash between Guskov and Paulo Costa, potentially for UFC 328 on May 9. Azizyan indicated the promotion is actively trying to finalize the matchup, though no official announcement has been made and the fight should be treated as unconfirmed at this stage.
Paulo Costa, known as "The Eraser," enters the picture as one of the most recognizable names in the middleweight division. The 35-year-old Brazilian carries a 16-4-0 record and holds the number 13 ranking at 185 pounds. Fighting out of an orthodox stance at six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, Costa is one of the division's most aggressive strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate.
Guskov, nicknamed "Czarevitch," is listed in the UFC's rankings at light heavyweight rather than middleweight, which adds an interesting dimension to this reported matchup. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan trains with GOR MMA and owns an 18-3-1 record, currently sitting at number 10 in the light heavyweight division. Standing six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach, Guskov lands 4.17 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, giving him a mixed offensive profile.
Why it matters
- Costa, a former title challenger, needs a high-profile win to climb back toward contention at middleweight
- Guskov would be moving down from light heavyweight, making divisional acclimatization a key factor
- A win for either fighter would carry meaningful rankings implications in one of the UFC's most competitive weight classes
- The bout remains unconfirmed, with Azizyan noting only that the promotion is working to make it happen
Saturday, May 9, 2026
