Paulo Costa has declared his readiness to fight Magomed Ankalaev for the light heavyweight title. Costa revealed that he spoke with Carlos (presumably the current champion) yesterday, who confirmed he will be out for a year due to an upcoming surgery. With the champion sidelined, Costa believes the UFC should create either a temporary or vacant title fight. He is planning to participate and insists he should be next in line to compete for the belt. Costa recently moved up to light heavyweight and appears eager to establish himself in the new division.
Paulo Costa has put himself forward as a contender for the vacant or interim light heavyweight title, publicly calling for a fight against Magomed Ankalaev after revealing that the division's champion will be sidelined for approximately a year due to surgery.
Costa, 35, carries a 16-4-0 professional record and is listed in the AgentMMA database under the middleweight division at a divisional ranking of 13, though he has made clear his intention to establish himself at light heavyweight. The Brazilian, who stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, is one of the more active offensive fighters in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent. He recently made the move up in weight class and is now angling for a title shot in his new home.
Ankalaev, meanwhile, is the number-one ranked light heavyweight in the world and sits fifth on the pound-for-pound rankings. The Russian, who fights out of Gorets Fight Club, holds a 21-2-1 record and is two inches taller than Costa at six-foot-three, with a 75-inch reach. At 34 years old, Ankalaev averages 3.65 significant strikes per minute and adds a takedown threat at 0.79 per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- The light heavyweight title picture is in flux with the reigning champion facing roughly a year away from competition following surgery.
- Costa's callout positions him as a potential opponent for Ankalaev in either a vacant or interim title fight, though no booking has been confirmed.
- A size and style contrast defines the matchup: Costa brings elite striking volume and accuracy from a middleweight background, while Ankalaev is the division's top-ranked contender with a more measured offensive output and an added wrestling dimension.
- Costa's divisional ranking has not yet been established at light heavyweight, which could complicate his case for being next in line.
