Paulo Costa has expressed his readiness to fight for the UFC title against Magomed Ankalaev. Costa revealed that current champion Carlos Ulberg will be sidelined for a year due to an upcoming surgery. He spoke with Ulberg yesterday, who confirmed he is out of action. Costa believes the UFC should organize either a temporary or vacant title fight, and he plans to be part of that contest. The Brazilian contender stated he should be the next fighter to compete for the belt.
Paulo Costa is lobbying the UFC to book him in a light heavyweight title fight against Magomed Ankalaev, citing a lengthy injury absence set to sideline champion Carlos Ulberg for approximately a year.
Costa, who competes at middleweight and holds a 16-4 record, said he spoke directly with Ulberg, who confirmed he is facing surgery and will be out of action for the foreseeable future. The 35-year-old Brazilian, ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division and training out of Team Borracha, is pushing the promotion to organize either a temporary or vacant title fight — and has put himself forward as the man who should be in it. Costa is one of the more relentless strikers in the UFC, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy across his career.
Ulberg, 35, captured the light heavyweight championship and carried a 15-1 record into his reign. The New Zealand native, who trains at City Kickboxing and stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, had been a fast-rising force in the division before the injury set in. He averages 6.54 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the busiest offensive fighters at 205 pounds.
Ankalaev, the top-ranked light heavyweight contender at 21-2-1, has long been positioned as the next challenger for the belt. The 34-year-old Russian out of Gorets Fight Club is sixth-foot-three and brings a complete game, averaging 0.79 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 3.65 significant strikes landed per minute. He also holds a top-five pound-for-pound ranking.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's surgery creates a genuine vacancy at the top of the light heavyweight division
- Ankalaev, ranked number one, already had the strongest claim to a title shot
- Costa is a middleweight by trade, making his push for a 205-pound title fight an unconventional ask for the UFC matchmakers
- How the promotion responds will shape the near-term direction of the entire light heavyweight title picture
