Alessandro Costa is stepping in on short notice to face Matt Schnell at UFC Vegas 118, replacing Imanol Rodriguez in a 130-pound catchweight bout.
The event takes place June 6 at the Meta APEX. It is unclear what led to Rodriguez’s removal from the card, but the reshuffle revives a matchup that was previously on the books.
Costa and Schnell were scheduled to fight in September 2024 before Costa withdrew just days before the event. Cody Durden stepped in at that time and defeated Schnell by submission.
Schnell now returns after a loss to Joseph Morales in November 2025 and has won three of his past 10 UFC fights. Costa enters the bout off a second-round knockout win over Stewart Nicoll in April, a performance that earned him a Performance of the Night bonus.
Costa holds a 3-3 record in the UFC, with bonuses awarded for each of his victories. UFC Vegas 118 is headlined by a welterweight bout between Belal Muhammad and Gabriel Bonfim.
