Bogdan Guskov has expressed interest in facing Paulo Costa inside the octagon. Meanwhile, according to Ivo Baranieski, he agreed to fight Guskov but claims that Guskov refused the matchup. Guskov describes himself as a Russian fighter who grew up in Uzbekistan and says he is ready to compete anytime, aiming to make Baranieski 'swallow his words.' Coach Gor Azizyan backed Guskov, suggesting Baranieski should stop talking after beating Copylov and Azamat, and urged him to accept the Guskov fight or stop targeting Russian fighters. The post seeks fan input on whether they would like to see a potential Guskov-Baranieski bout.
Bogdan Guskov has called out Paulo Costa and fired back at Ivo Baranieski amid a public dispute over a potential light heavyweight matchup, with the GOR MMA fighter insisting he has never ducked anyone.
Guskov, ranked tenth in the light heavyweight division, carries an 18-3-1 record and trains out of the GOR MMA camp. The 33-year-old, who describes himself as Russian but grew up in Uzbekistan, stands six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach and brings a well-rounded offensive game to the cage, averaging 4.17 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy while also posing a submission threat at 1.1 attempts per 15 minutes. He stated he is available to compete at any time and wants to make Baranieski "swallow his words" after Baranieski publicly claimed he had agreed to the fight only for Guskov to turn it down. Guskov's coach, Gor Azizyan, backed his fighter and suggested Baranieski's recent wins over Copylov and Azamat do not give him grounds to keep targeting Russian fighters without accepting the matchup himself.
Beyond the Baranieski situation, Guskov has separately set his sights on Paulo Costa, the Brazilian middleweight ranked thirteenth in his division. Costa, nicknamed "The Eraser," holds a 16-4-0 record and fights out of Team Borracha at 35 years of age. The six-foot-one, 185-centimeter striker is one of the most prolific offensive fighters in the sport, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 58 percent accuracy, though he rarely pursues takedowns or submissions.
Why it matters
- Guskov targeting Costa raises cross-divisional interest, though no formal negotiations are reported
- The Baranieski dispute remains unresolved, with both sides trading contradictory accounts publicly
- A Guskov-Baranieski bout would carry light heavyweight ranking implications, with Guskov currently sitting at number ten
