Bogdan Guskov has expressed his desire to share the Octagon with Paulo Costa. According to Ivo Baranieski, he agreed to fight Guskov, but Guskov allegedly declined the bout. Guskov's coach Gor Azizyan commented that Baranieski initiated the trash talk after wins over Kopylova and Azamat, and suggested Baranieski should be "clipped" for his comments. Azizyan added that if Baranieski doesn't accept a fight with Guskov, he should stop talking about Russian fighters altogether. The post includes a fan poll asking if readers would like to see this matchup.
Bogdan Guskov has publicly called out Paulo Costa, while simultaneously pushing back on claims made by fellow light heavyweight Ivo Baranieski that Guskov turned down a fight with him.
Guskov, nicknamed "Czarevitch," enters the conversation as the No. 10-ranked light heavyweight in the UFC. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan carries an 18-3-1 record and trains out of GOR MMA. Standing six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach, he is a patient, submission-minded fighter who averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes while posting a striking accuracy of 55 percent.
Costa, ranked 13th at middleweight, would represent a cross-divisional matchup should the fight ever come together. The Brazilian, known as "The Eraser," is 35 years old and holds a 16-4 record. He is one of the more prolific strikers in the UFC, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, and trains out of Team Borracha.
At the center of the dispute is Baranieski's claim that Guskov declined a bout between the two. Guskov's coach, Gor Azizyan, contested that version of events, stating that Baranieski initiated the verbal confrontation following wins over Kopylova and Azamat. Azizyan said Baranieski deserved to be "clipped" for his remarks and added that if Baranieski will not accept a fight with Guskov, he should stop calling out Russian fighters entirely.
Why it matters
- Guskov sits inside the light heavyweight top ten, making a potential matchup with Costa a notable cross-divisional story
- The public dispute with Baranieski adds a second unresolved callout to Guskov's name, complicating his path to a next booking
- Costa's elite striking output against Guskov's submission-heavy approach would present a contrasting styles matchup if the UFC were to move Costa up to 205 pounds
