Roman Kopylov defeated Marco Tulio by unanimous decision with scores of 29-28, 29-28, 29-28 at UFC 328, bringing his UFC record to 7-5. Despite scoring knockdowns on the Brazilian, Kopylov did not finish the fight, which the post notes was disappointing given how close he was to a stoppage. The post describes it as another inconsistent performance from Kopylov, featuring many absorbed strikes and lost exchanges despite several high-quality attacks. Similar patterns were observed in his fights with Curtis and Robocop. While Kopylov demonstrated powerful kicks that were fast and well-disguised, along with good feinting ability, he struggled to dominate throughout the entire fight.
Roman Kopylov picked up a unanimous decision victory over Marco Tulio at UFC 328 on May 9, 2026, with all three judges scoring the middleweight bout 29-28 in the Russian's favor.
The win improves Kopylov's UFC record to 7-5, though the performance left something to be desired. He managed to score knockdowns on Tulio but could not capitalize with a finish, a recurring frustration for a fighter who has shown the same inconsistent pattern in previous bouts. His powerful, fast, and well-disguised kicks were a genuine threat throughout, and his feinting ability created openings, yet he repeatedly absorbed strikes and lost exchanges he had no business losing. Similarities to his fights against Curtis and Robocop were hard to ignore.
Tulio, nicknamed Matuto, entered the bout at 14-3-0 and brought a legitimate offensive threat of his own. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Chute Boxe Diego Lima stands six feet tall with a 74-inch reach and carries an impressive 6.69 significant strikes landed per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent. He also averages 1.42 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him a multi-dimensional skill set that likely contributed to Kopylov's difficulty in closing the show.
Why it matters
- Kopylov's inability to finish a hurt opponent raises questions about his ceiling in the middleweight division despite clear physical tools
- The 29-28 sweep suggests a competitive fight rather than a dominant performance, which limits any significant rankings momentum
- Tulio's high-volume, accurate striking made him a dangerous opponent even when hurt, and this loss does little lasting damage to his profile at 14-3-0
Saturday, May 9, 2026
