UFC 326 reportedly takes major hit ahead of Holloway vs. Oliveira fight card

UFC 326 has reportedly taken a major hit with the loss of former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa.

The new year is now just around the corner, and while 2026 will officially bring the new partnership between the UFC and Paramount, combat sports fans still have to wait until January 24 for the world’s leading MMA promotion to return with UFC 324.

UFC 325 is also set to go down the following weekend before a trio of UFC Fight Night events that includes the promotion’s return to Mexico, and on March 7 the UFC will head back home to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV for UFC 326.

Paulo Costa Reportedly Withdraws From UFC 326 Fight

First reported by Léo Guimaraes, Costa has apparently withdrawn from a highly-anticipated UFC 326 matchup that would have seen him square off with his countryman Brunno Ferreira.

A former middleweight title challenger, Costa currently occupies the #13 spot in the official divisional rankings. “The Eraser” established himself as a dangerous knockout artist during his initial run to a title shot at UFC 253, where Israel Adesanya handed the Brazilian his first loss via second-round TKO.

Sean Strickland (red gloves) fights Paulo Costa (blue gloves) during UFC 302 at Prudential Center. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Costa has only competed five times since challenging Adesanya in 2020, going 2-3 overall during that stretch. Following back-to-back losses to former middleweight titleholders Sean Strickland and Robert Whittaker, Costa returned to the win column at UFC 318 when he defeated Roman Kopylov via unanimous decision.

Brunno Ferreira Misses Out On Ranked Opponent

Fans haven’t seen Costa win by stoppage since his 2018 victory over Uriah Hall, but a UFC 326 fight with Ferreira looked like it was a near-certainty to produce some sort of a finish.

A contract winner on the 2022 edition of Dana White’s Contender Series, Ferreira got off to a hot start in the UFC when he brutally knocked out Gregory Rodrigues at UFC 283 before suffering his first loss in his sophomore outing against Nursulton Ruziboev. “The Hulk” has gone 5-1 since then and is currently on a three-fight win streak after taking a unanimous decision over Marvin Vettori, which marked the first time Ferreira has gone the distance in his entire career.

Marvin Vettori (red gloves) fights Brunno Ferreira (blue gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

There’s still plenty of time for the UFC to try and find a replacement opponent for Ferreira, and at the moment UFC 326 currently looks like this.

UFC 326 Fight Card

• Main Event: Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira – For the UFC “BMF” Championship

• Renato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega

• Caio Borralho vs. Reinier de Ridder

• Cody Durden vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel

• Cody Garbrandt vs. Long Xiao

• Rafael Tobias vs. Diyar Nurgozhay

• Sumudaerji vs. Jesus Aguilar

• Dusko Tudorovic vs. Donte Johnson

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