Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov — Fight recap

Paulo Costa earned a unanimous decision victory over Roman Kopylov across three rounds on July 19, 2025, with referee Herb Dean officiating. Costa dominated the striking exchanges, landing 99 of 159 significant strikes at 62% accuracy while Kopylov managed just 48 of 104 at 46%.

The Brazilian's precision was particularly evident in body work, connecting on 41 of 46 body strikes and landing all 24 leg kicks, demonstrating disciplined target selection. Costa also secured a knockdown and controlled 13 seconds of cage position, though both fighters remained scoreless on takedown attempts.

Kopylov's output declined as the fight progressed, unable to establish momentum or close the distance consistently against Costa's varied attack. This victory reinforces Costa's standing as a middleweight contender and suggests he remains a threat in title discussions.