Paulo Costa has expressed his readiness to fight Magomed Ankalaev for a championship. Costa revealed that he spoke with Carlos yesterday, who said he is facing surgery and will be out for a year. With Carlos sidelined, Costa believes the promotion should have another title fight, either for a temporary or vacant belt, and he intends to participate. Costa stated that he should be next in line to fight for the championship.
Paulo Costa has publicly declared his willingness to step in and fight Magomed Ankalaev for a light heavyweight title, positioning himself as a candidate to fill a potential vacancy created by an injury to the current champion.
Costa, 35, competes primarily at middleweight, where he holds a 16-4-0 record and sits ranked 13th in the division. The Brazilian, who stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach, is one of the most prolific strikers in the UFC, landing an impressive 6.26 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. He stated that he spoke directly with the reigning champion, who confirmed he is facing surgery and will be sidelined for approximately one year. With that news in hand, Costa publicly argued that the promotion should not leave the title dormant and that he should be next in line for a championship opportunity, whether for a temporary or vacant belt.
Standing across from him in any potential matchup would be Ankalaev, the number-one ranked light heavyweight contender and fifth-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world. The 34-year-old Russian carries a 21-2-1 record and brings a well-rounded game to the cage, averaging 0.79 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a measured striking output of 3.65 significant strikes per minute. At six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach, the Gorets Fight Club product holds physical advantages that would make any cross-divisional challenge a steep undertaking.
Why it matters
- The reigning champion's reported one-year absence creates genuine urgency around the light heavyweight title picture.
- Ankalaev, as the division's top contender, is the natural opponent for any interim or vacant title fight.
- Costa would be moving up from middleweight, adding a cross-divisional layer to the potential matchup's storyline.
- The callout keeps Costa's name in circulation while the middleweight division's title picture develops separately.
