Paulo Costa says Magomed Ankalaev 'closer to getting cut than the title'

Paulo Costa has launched a public campaign for a UFC light heavyweight title shot, taking aim at both former champions Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev in a bid to shake up a division he views as lacking excitement.

The 16-4 fighter, a former middleweight title challenger, criticized Prochazka's recent loss to current light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg, calling the defeat "dumb" after Prochazka failed to capitalize on a visible leg injury sustained by Ulberg in the opening round. Costa's sharper criticism, however, was reserved for Ankalaev, whom he described as "closer to getting cut than the title" following the Russian's stoppage victory over Bogdan Guskov at UFC Abu Dhabi. Despite earning a late finish, Costa characterized the bout as tedious and pointed out that Ankalaev was booed by the crowd—notable given that Abu Dhabi is typically considered favorable territory for Dagestani fighters.

On social media, Costa posed the question directly to fans: "Some say I should fight Jiri or Ankalaev. Jiri's coming off a dumb loss and Ankalaev, after sat another super boring fight, is closer to getting cut than to the title." His remarks were bolstered by commentary from former UFC fighter Kenny Florian and analyst Jon Anik, who discussed the poor crowd reaction to Ankalaev and floated Costa's name as a worthy next challenger for the title.

Costa enters the conversation with momentum, coming off back-to-back upset wins over Roman Kopylov and previously undefeated Azamat Murzakanov. His aggressive positioning underscores the competitive depth at light heavyweight and signals his intent to force the UFC's hand on a title opportunity.