Paulo Costa vs. ‘Hulk’ Brunno Ferreira Added to UFC 326
Paulo Costa vs. ‘Hulk’ Brunno Ferreira is being lined up for a middleweight bout at UFC 326 on March 7, 2026, in Las Vegas, with Brazilian reporter Léo Walker Guimarães credited as breaking the matchup.
Paulo Costa vs. ‘Hulk’ Brunno Ferreira
Costa is known for his forward pressure, heavy boxing combinations, and body work, built around physical strength and volume over three rounds. Ferreira’s ‘Hulk’ nickname reflects a compact, power-punching style, and his recent UFC run has been guided by aggressive striking and finishing instinct against mid-tier contenders. On paper, this creates a fan-friendly stand-up fight that fits the promotion’s push to stack the UFC 326 main card with action-heavy middleweight bouts.
Léo Walker Guimarães reported that Costa and Ferreira have agreed to meet on March 7 at UFC 326. Multiple MMA outlets have since echoed that report, describing the bout as either “set” or “in the works” for the pay-per-view card. The promotion has yet to issue an official bout announcement, but the matchup is being treated as part of the working lineup for the event.
The fight comes as both middleweights are trending upward after recent performances. Costa earned a unanimous decision win over Roman Kopylov at UFC 318 in July 2025, marking his first victory since August 2022 when he defeated Luke Rockhold. The bout in New Orleans represented a return to form for the 34-year-old, who struggled through a 1-4 run that included losses to Israel Adesanya, Marvin Vettori, Robert Whittaker, and Sean Strickland. His performance against Kopylov suggested the sharpness that made him a former title contender at 185 pounds remained intact.
Ferreira arrives on a three-fight winning streak following a decisive unanimous decision victory over Marvin Vettori at UFC 323 in December 2025. Before that win, the 32-year-old secured back-to-back submission victories, submitting Jackson McVey via armbar in the first round at UFC 318 in July and Armen Petrosyan in the second round at UFC 313 in March. Ferreira’s recent run marks a successful rebound after suffering a third-round submission loss to Abus Magomedov at UFC 308 in October 2024. His overall UFC record stands at 5-2, though his professional record is now 16-2 following the Vettori win.
The bout joins Reinier de Ridder vs. Caio Borralho and several other high-level matchups on the same T‑Mobile Arena bill, deepening the middleweight presence beneath Holloway vs. Oliveira 2. With two Brazilians meeting in a prominent slot on a marquee pay-per-view.
