Jiri Prochazka says UFC pitched him a Paulo Costa fight, Costa fires back

Jiri Prochazka says the UFC reached out about pairing him with Paulo Costa for a marquee light heavyweight bout later this year, but Costa is rejecting the characterization. Prochazka, speaking as a former champion at 205 pounds, told reporters that the promotion is “working on” a big fight for year-end and that it involved Costa as the opponent.

According to Prochazka’s account, the situation became tense when Costa publicly referenced his name while Prochazka pursued options. Prochazka took umbrage at the way Costa brought him up, implying that Costa’s statements did not align with how the process was moving behind the scenes. It was not presented as an announcement of a signed bout, but as a clash of narratives about who is driving the matchmaking conversation.

Costa, for his part, called the claims “shenanigans,” pushing back against Prochazka’s version of events. Costa’s response keeps attention on a pairing that would make stylistic and promotional sense at light heavyweight, but it also indicates that neither side is treating the supposed offer as settled business. In this sport, the difference between an informal pitch and an agreed fight is often where disputes begin.

The backdrop for the exchange is a light heavyweight division that has continued to reshuffle its hierarchy. Costa has recently become a more permanent fixture at 205 pounds following his appearance in the wake of UFC 327, where he secured a finish over Azamat Murzakanov to re-establish himself as a true heavyweight of the weight class. That outcome matters because it places Costa closer to the kind of spotlight that attracts top-five-level matchmaking.

Prochazka, whose pro record is listed as 32-6-1 and whose UFC tenure is described as 6-3 in the same report, has a history of turning major opportunities into headline fights. If the UFC is indeed exploring a year-end bout with Costa, the promotion would be leaning into a matchup that can sell both as a big-name clash and as a reward for recent momentum at 205.

Still, the report should be treated as a claim-and-counterclaim rather than a confirmed booking. Without an official UFC announcement, there is no guarantee the matchup will materialize, and it is possible that the conversation involves interest, internal discussions, or negotiations that could change depending on event planning and fighter availability.

What to watch next is whether either fighter’s camp or the UFC provides a formal update. If the UFC does move from talk to booking, the Prochazka-Costa fight would immediately clarify a key piece of the late-year light heavyweight picture and potentially accelerate a new wave of contenders competing for recognition at the division’s top tier.