Paulo Costa has stated he is ready to fight Magomed Ankalaev for a title. Costa revealed that he spoke with Carlos Ulberg yesterday, who informed him that he will be out for a year due to an upcoming surgery. With Ulberg sidelined, Costa believes the UFC should organize a temporary or vacant title bout. He is planning to participate and believes he should be next in line to fight for the belt. No official response from the UFC or confirmation on the matchup has been mentioned.
Paulo Costa has publicly thrown his name into contention for the light heavyweight title, calling for a fight with Magomed Ankalaev after learning that top contender Carlos Ulberg will miss approximately a year due to an upcoming surgery.
Costa, a 35-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Team Borracha, holds a 16-4-0 record and currently sits ranked thirteenth in the middleweight division. The call-out represents a cross-divisional move for "The Eraser," who stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach. His striking output is among the most aggressive in MMA, averaging 6.26 significant strikes landed per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate. Costa said he spoke directly with Ulberg, who confirmed the injury and the extended layoff.
Ulberg, the number-three ranked light heavyweight from New Zealand, carries a 15-1-0 record and had been widely regarded as next in line for a title shot. The City Kickboxing product is a physically imposing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, landing 6.54 significant strikes per minute. His surgery-enforced absence is what has prompted Costa to step forward as a replacement.
Ankalaev, ranked first in the division and fifth pound-for-pound, holds a 21-2-1 record and represents one of the sport's most complete light heavyweights. The 34-year-old Russian from Gorets Fight Club is six-foot-three and averages 0.79 takedowns per fifteen minutes, adding a consistent grappling dimension to his measured striking game.
Costa believes the UFC should organize a temporary or vacant title bout with him as the opponent, though no official response from the promotion has been reported.
Why it matters
- Ulberg's year-long absence removes the division's clearest number-one contender from the equation
- Costa's call-out creates pressure on the UFC to either fast-track a replacement or leave the title picture unsettled
- A potential Costa-Ankalaev matchup would pit two high-output orthodox strikers against each other, with Ankalaev's wrestling providing a significant stylistic wrinkle
