Bogdan Guskov has expressed interest in fighting Paulo Costa in the octagon. According to Ivo Baranyevski, he agreed to face Guskov, but Guskov declined the matchup. Guskov described himself as a Russian who grew up in Uzbekistan and stated he is ready to compete at any time. His coach Gor Azizyan criticized Costa for his recent callouts after wins over Kopylov and Azamat, suggesting Costa needs to be brought down a notch and should stop talking about Russian fighters if he won't accept the fight. The post asks fans if they would like to see the potential matchup.
Bogdan Guskov has set his sights on Paulo Costa while simultaneously turning down a proposed fight with Ivo Baranyevski, injecting some crossover intrigue between the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions.
Guskov, nicknamed "Czarevitch," holds an 18-3-1 record and currently sits ranked tenth in the light heavyweight division. The 33-year-old, who described himself as a Russian who grew up in Uzbekistan, trains out of GOR MMA and stands six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach. He lands 4.17 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy and averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, showing a well-rounded offensive game. According to Baranyevski, Guskov was offered a matchup but chose to decline it.
Costa, ranked thirteenth at middleweight, carries a 16-4-0 record and competes under the banner of Team Borracha. The Brazilian, now 35, stands six-foot-one with a 72-inch reach and remains one of the division's most prolific strikers, landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at an imposing 58 percent accuracy. Guskov's coach Gor Azizyan took direct aim at Costa following recent callouts Costa made after wins over Kopylov and Azamat, arguing that Costa needs to be taken down a peg and should not reference Russian fighters unless he is prepared to actually accept such a fight.
Why it matters
- Guskov is a top-ten light heavyweight engaging a ranked middleweight, raising cross-divisional matchup questions
- Costa's pattern of calling out Russian fighters has drawn direct criticism from the Guskov camp
- Guskov declining Baranyevski while pursuing Costa signals clear strategic intent from his team
- Any agreement would likely require weight negotiations given the divisional gap between the two fighters
