Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka has publicly called out Paulo Costa, claiming the Brazilian has already received an offer from the UFC to fight him later this year but has yet to accept.
Prochazka addressed Costa directly in a video posted to his social media, urging the former middleweight title challenger to stop mentioning his name if he has no intention of taking the matchup. He said:
“Don’t tag me, don’t mention me in your posts, because you have an offer from UFC to fight me in October or November.”
He continued:
“If you don’t want to fight me, don’t mention me, don’t speak about me.”
Check out Jiri Prochazka’s comments about Paulo Costa below:
The comments come after ‘The Eraser’ recently referenced Prochazka publicly, fueling speculation about a potential showdown. While neither the UFC nor Costa has officially confirmed that a bout agreement has been reached, Prochazka’s statement suggests the promotion has already presented an offer for an October or November contest.
Jiri Prochazka eyes return after title setback
Prochazka has remained one of the UFC’s top light heavyweight contenders despite falling short in his bid to reclaim the championship. Known for his unorthodox striking style and aggressive finishing ability, the Czech star remains firmly in the title picture and is looking to return to action before the end of 2026.
A matchup between Prochazka and Costa would pit two of the promotion’s most entertaining and unpredictable fighters against each other, with Prochazka’s high-pressure offense meeting Costa’s powerful boxing and durability.
Prochazka enters the potential matchup looking to rebound from the most recent defeat of his career. In his last outing at UFC 327, the former champion was knocked out in the opening round by Carlos Ulberg in a bout for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title, ending his three-fight winning streak.
Costa, meanwhile, enjoyed a successful light heavyweight debut on the same card. The Brazilian stopped previously unbeaten Azamat Murzakanov via third-round TKO with a head kick, handing Murzakanov the first loss of his professional MMA career and immediately establishing himself as a contender at 205 pounds.
For now, however, the fight remains unsigned. Prochazka has made his position clear, insisting that Costa either accepts the UFC’s reported offer or stops using his name publicly while negotiations continue.
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