Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Paulo Costa gestures toward Robert Whittaker during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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UFC 317 Main Card Woes – Why Is Costa vs Kopylov Fight Cancelled?

Middleweight banger fight between Paulo Costa and Roman Kopylov scrapped from UFC 317 main card on July 29!

Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Paulo Costa gestures toward Robert Whittaker during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Building a successful UFC pay-per-view card is hard. Promoters spend months carefully selecting matchups that will excite fans and generate buzz, only to watch their plans crumble when fighters get injured, sick, or simply can’t make it to the cage. The UFC has dealt with countless last-minute changes over the years, from Conor McGregor pulling out of UFC 303 to Khabib Numagomedov vs Tony Ferguson’s numerous cancellations that left fans heartbroken and cards scrambled.

The sport’s unpredictable nature stems from its fundamental brutality and the intense physical demands placed on fighters during training camps. A small cut during sparring or a illness due to extreme exertion can ruin months of preparation. And unfortunately, UFC 317 has become the latest victim of this cruel realit, losing one of its most anticipated fights just days before the event.

Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov Scrapped

Paulo Costa has become the poster child for fight cancellations. And unfortunately, his latest withdrawal from UFC 317 adds another chapter to his frustrating story. The Brazilian middleweight was supposed to face Roman Kopylov in what promised to be an exciting striking battle. However, illness has forced him to pull out of the contest. Specific details about Costa’s condition haven’t been shared yet. This latest cancellation marks another disappointment in what has become a troubling pattern for ‘The Eraser.’ He has now been involved in eight fight cancellations over his last ten scheduled bouts!

🚨| Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov is OFF #UFC317 on June 28th. ❌
[first rep. @Bert_MMA] pic.twitter.com/Hp9bPgd6jZ
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) June 17, 2025

What makes Costa’s situation particularly frustrating is that he’s been responsible for four of those eight cancelations himself. Whether it’s injuries, weight cutting issues, or now illness, something always seems to go wrong when Paulo Costa is scheduled to fight. This isn’t entirely his fault, as injuries and sickness are part of the sport. But the frequency has become almost comical at this point.

Fans have started joking that betting on a Costa fight actually happening might be riskier than betting on the outcome. The UFC has shown remarkable patience with the Brazilian slugger, likely because his exciting fighting style and knockout power make him a valuable asset when he actually makes it to the cage.

Rumors Of Rescheduling The Fight For UFC 318

The silver lining in this fight will reportedly be moved to UFC 318. This card, headlined by Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight against Max Holloway, has been criticized for lacking depth and star power beyond the main event. Adding a high-level middleweight bout featuring two dangerous fighters would give fans more reasons to tune in and strengthen what many consider a weak pay-per-view offering.

Hearing that Roman Kopylov vs. Paulo Costa is moving to #UFC318

It was reported earlier today that the fight was off #UFC317 and that's true but just being rescheduled for a later date, from what I'm told
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) June 17, 2025

While losing Costa vs Kopylov hurts UFC 317’s overall appeal, the remaining eleven fights still offer plenty of excitement. These include the lightweight title clash between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira. Moreover, Alexandre Pantoja will defend his flyweight crown against Kai Kara-France.

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Paulo Costa

Roman Kopylov

UFC 317

UFC 318

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!