Costa steps in on short notice to salvage Durden flyweight bout at UFC 329

Alessandro Costa will face Cody Durden on the preliminary card of UFC 329 on July 11, stepping in as a late replacement after Ode Osbourne was forced out of the flyweight matchup through injury.

Costa accepted the bout on short notice — a situation he is already familiar with. Just weeks earlier, he took a last-minute call-up to face Matt Schnell and delivered a lightning-quick first-round finish. Now he turns around almost immediately to compete again, looking to build momentum with another strong performance.

Durden is equally accustomed to short-notice opportunities. In April, he accepted a late replacement spot against Jafel Filho and earned a unanimous decision victory, ending a four-fight losing skid. That win appears to have impressed UFC matchmakers and the organisation’s front office alike — Durden confirmed he has been rewarded with a new four-fight contract with the promotion alongside accepting the Costa bout.

The flyweight clash slots into the prelims of a card headlined by the highly anticipated lightweight showdown between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway. With Costa’s booking confirmed, the full UFC 329 lineup is now finalised.

The UFC confirmed the replacement after multiple sources with knowledge of the promotion’s plans verified the news, following an initial report from AG Fight.