Bogdan Guskov calls out Paulo Costa; Ivo Baranievski says Guskov declined their bout

Bogdan Guskov publicly stated he would like to face Paulo Costa in the octagon. However, Ivo Baranievski claimed that he accepted a fight with Guskov but that Guskov turned down the matchup. Baranievski, who identifies as a Russian fighter raised in Uzbekistan, said he is ready to fight at any time and wants to make Guskov "swallow his words." Gor Azizyan supported Baranievski's position, noting that Guskov has been talking frequently after wins over Kopylova and Azamat, and suggested Guskov should stop his "Russian theme" if he won't accept the fight. The conflicting accounts raise questions about Guskov's matchmaking preferences.