Gor Azizyan confirms UFC 328 matchmaking efforts for Guskov vs Costa

Manager Gor Azizyan has publicly confirmed that his team is in active discussions to book a fight between Bogdan Guskov and Paulo Costa at UFC 328, scheduled for May 9, 2026. Azizyan disclosed the update during a media appearance but stopped short of revealing the negotiation status or whether both fighters have formally agreed to the bout. No official announcement from the UFC has followed.

Guskov, nicknamed "Czarevitch," carries an 18-3-1 record and currently sits at number ten in the light heavyweight rankings. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan, who trains out of GOR MMA, stands six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach and brings a submission-oriented approach to his fights, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Notably, he has not registered a takedown in his UFC run, suggesting his ground work is primarily offensive from the bottom.

Costa, known as "The Eraser," is a ranked middleweight contender out of Brazil, sitting thirteenth in the division at 35 years old. His professional record stands at 16-4-0, and he has built a reputation as one of the most prolific strikers in the division, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. He trains with Team Borracha and fights out of an orthodox stance at six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach.

Why it matters

• A win for Guskov could vault him up a stacked light heavyweight division, though a move to middleweight to face Costa would be a notable weight class shift worth monitoring
• Costa needs a high-profile victory to climb back into title contention after recent setbacks
• The contrasting styles — Guskov's submission threat against Costa's elite striking volume — make for a compelling matchup on paper
• The report remains unconfirmed by the UFC, and the bout should be treated as a developing story until official announcement