Magomed Ankalaev open to Paulo Costa fight next, ‘unless he’s going to be running away’

Magomed Ankalaev dominated Bogdan Guskov to earn a fifth-round finish at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday, cementing his status as the light heavyweight division's No. 1 contender. The bout, however, failed to excite fans at Etihad Arena, drawing criticism on social media—including a pointed jab from Paulo Costa, who recently moved up to light heavyweight and knocked out Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327.

Costa's post-fight comment—"By the power of the Almighty, I shall save this weight class from monotony and boredom"—was a thinly veiled dig at Ankalaev's fighting style. At the UFC Abu Dhabi post-fight press conference, Ankalaev was asked about Costa's remarks and responded positively to the possibility of a fight. With light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg sidelined by injury, Ankalaev expressed willingness to stay active rather than wait for a title shot, making a matchup with Costa a viable option.

"If Paulo Costa is going to stand in front of me and wants to stand and bang, we can definitely bang it out," Ankalaev said through a translator. He welcomed the idea of facing Costa at UFC 333, scheduled for October 24 in Abu Dhabi, noting that he aims to deliver exciting fights for the fans. Ankalaev emphasized that many opponents have "run away" from him in the cage, but expressed confidence that Costa would engage if booked.

Costa's third-round knockout of Murzakanov marked a strong debut at light heavyweight and signals his ambitions to chase gold at 205 pounds after previously competing at middleweight as a former title challenger. A bout between Ankalaev and Costa would serve as a high-stakes interim matchup while the division's landscape settles, particularly if Ulberg's recovery extends longer than anticipated. Ankalaev also reiterated his interest in a trilogy with Alex Pereira, with their series tied at 1–1.