Paulo Costa is set to step into the Octagon for the second time this year.
As per a recent report by MMA journalist Laerte Viana, Costa is set to face Shara Magomedov in a middleweight bout serving as the co-main event at UFC Qatar on November 22 at ABHA Arena in Doha.
On Wednesday, “The Eraser” confirmed the matchup himself on X, revealing he had accepted the promotion’s offer to face Magomedov in Doha. Since then, the former UFC 185-pound title challenger has been taunting “Bullet” relentlessly on social media.
UFC Qatar will mark the promotion’s inaugural visit to the country, and it has already begun stacking the card with compelling matchups for the upcoming Fight Night event.
The lineup features a light heavyweight showdown between former champion Jan Blachowicz and Bogdan Guskov, a bantamweight clash pitting Aleksandre Topuria against Bekzat Almakhan, and another 205-pound battle between Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev and Rafael Cerqueira. The card also includes a flyweight bout between Alex Perez and Asu Almabayev.
When Did Paulo Costa And Shara Magomedov Last Taste Victory In Octagon?
Paulo Costa last stepped into the Octagon at UFC 318 this past July, securing a crucial unanimous decision victory over Roman Kopylov.
“The Eraser", who once rode an impressive 13-fight unbeaten streak, has struggled to regain his momentum since his failed title challenge against Israel Adesanya at UFC 253 in September 2020, going 2-4 in his last six bouts. Costa currently holds a 7-4 UFC record, with four of his victories coming by knockout.
Meanwhile, Shara Magomedov last competed at UFC Abu Dhabi this past July, securing a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Marc-André Barriault to rebound from his first career loss to Michael Page at UFC Saudi Arabia in February.
“Bullet” boasts a 5-1 record in the UFC, highlighted by key victories over Armen Petrosyan, Michał Oleksiejczuk, and Bruno Silva.