Ankalaev Proposes October Fight with Paulo Costa in Abu Dhabi

UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev said he wants to stay active and is prepared to fight Paulo Costa in Abu Dhabi in October, should the division’s champion remain out for an extended period. Ankalaev, who defeated Bogdan Guskov by decision and ground-and-punch at UFC Abu Dhabi, told reporters through a translator that he considers himself the No. 1 contender and would like to keep fighting while the champion recovers from knee surgery.

"I’m already the No. 1 contender," Ankalaev said. "If the champion is going to be out for a little while, then potentially maybe we can have a good fight with Costa, unless he’s going to be running away."

Costa has publicly expressed frustration over delays in securing a fight before his contract expires, suggesting the UFC has been reluctant to book him. He posted on X that he wants to “save this weightclass from monotony and boredom.”

"By the power of the Almighty, I shall save this weightclass from monotony and boredom," Costa wrote.

Ankalaev responded that he would gladly meet Costa in Abu Dhabi, emphasizing his desire to deliver exciting fights for fans.

"If Paulo Costa wants to stand in front of me and wants to stand and bang, we can definitely bang it out here in Abu Dhabi," he said.