Jiri Prochazka says the UFC has offered Paulo Costa a light heavyweight fight against him for October or November. Costa says he has not heard that from the promotion.
The public exchange started after Costa continued poking at names around 205 pounds. Prochazka answered through an Instagram reel shared by TNT Sports UFC, telling Costa not to use his name unless the fight is actually moving forward.
Hello all the UFC fans, this is just a quick message for Paulo Costa. Don’t tag me, don’t mention me in your posts, because you have a offer from UFC to fight me in October or November. And if you don’t want to fight me, don’t mention me, don’t speak about me. Yeah, this is it. I’m waiting for the contract for this fight.
Costa Says No One Mentioned Prochazka
Costa answered on X and denied that the matchup has reached him. His reply is embedded below.
The UFC has not announced Prochazka vs. Costa. The difference between the two public statements is the news: Prochazka says the offer exists, while Costa says nobody has brought him Prochazka’s name.
Prochazka is trying to reset after his UFC 327 title loss to Carlos Ulberg. Ulberg stopped him in the first round to win the vacant light heavyweight title, and that result left Prochazka chasing a rebound while Ulberg’s win reshaped the top of the division.
Costa is also coming out of UFC 327, but from the other side of the card. He knocked out Azamat Murzakanov in the third round and immediately strengthened his case that 205 pounds suits him better than middleweight. Costa then pushed toward the light heavyweight title picture, and Joe Rogan argued he should stay at 205.
A Prochazka-Costa fight would connect two different needs in the division. Prochazka brings a 32-6-1 record, a former UFC light heavyweight title reign, and a need to recover ground after the Ulberg loss. Costa is 16-4 and has a final-contract-fight angle attached to his current run.
The matchup also has enough recent history to sell quickly. Costa has taken shots at Prochazka after UFC 327, while Prochazka is pointing to a possible UFC offer instead of trading insults for weeks. If the promotion wants the fight for October or November, the next useful update is whether a contract actually reaches both sides.
Until then, the confirmed pieces are limited: Prochazka made the claim publicly, Costa denied hearing the matchup, and the light heavyweight division still has room for another high-profile contender fight while Ulberg’s timeline remains unsettled.
