The UFC is finalizing a middleweight bout between Paulo Costa and Luke Rockhold for UFC 277, sources told ESPN on Saturday.
Contracts have not been signed, but both sides have agreed to the bout. UFC 277 will take place on July 30 at a location to be announced.
Costa (13-2) is looking to rebound from two consecutive losses, after beginning his professional career on a 13-fight win streak. He lost a middleweight title fight against Israel Adesanya in September 2020 and a light heavyweight bout against Marvin Vettori in October. The bout was supposed to be at middleweight, but it was switched at the last second when Costa arrived to fight week heavier than usual.
Fighting out of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, Costa is 5-2 in the UFC with four knockouts.
Rockhold (16-5) has not fought since a light heavyweight loss to Jan Blachowicz in July 2019. The former UFC and Strikeforce champion has dealt with injuries in recent years, and Rockhold has been limited to just two appearances since the start of 2018. He won the UFC title by defeating Chris Weidman in 2015, but he has since lost three of his last four — all by knockout.
Originally from California, Rockhold has trained at American Kickboxing Academy, Sanford MMA and RVCA.
The UFC has not announced a main event for UFC 277.