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Magomed Ankalaev accuses Paulo Costa of declining fight thrice amid rumors of UFC 332 interim title fight

By Johny Payne

58 min ago3 min read
Magomed Ankalaev and Paulo Costa have traded barbs quite long
Magomed Ankalaev (left) and Paulo Costa (right) are on their respective quests to capture the UFC light heavyweight championship. UFC.com
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Magomed Ankalaev has made a rather significant allegation against Paulo Costa as rumors swirl about their interim title clash at UFC 332.

Magomed Ankalaev has taken aim at former UFC middleweight title challenger and current high-ranking UFC light heavyweight contender Paulo Costa. 

Ankalaev, who's a former UFC light heavyweight champion, alleged that Costa turned down a fight against him not once but thrice. 

Magomed Ankalaev, Paulo Costa, and the uncertainty surrounding UFC 332

The UFC is headed to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a numbered event next month. The Delta Center will host the UFC 332 event on October 3. Just weeks away from it, the card's headlining match has yet to be announced by the MMA organization. 

The combat sports realm was rife with reports that reigning UFC women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko could defend her title against Natalia Silva at UFC 332. It was initially said to be the co-headlining matchup for the card, and subsequent reports cited that it could serve as the headlining match.

Nevertheless, with Shevchenko reportedly ruled out of the event owing to an injury, the belief is that Silva could clash against Wang Cong for the interim UFC women's flyweight title at UFC 332. The UFC hasn't made an official announcement in that regard as of now, and many feel that the promotion could rope in a former champion like Magomed Ankalaev to boost the fight card. 

Speaking of which, there was widespread discussion concerning the UFC possibly booking an interim UFC light heavyweight championship fight this year, what with reigning light heavyweight titlist Carlos Ulberg on the sidelines with a knee injury. 

Divisional staples such as former light heavyweight kingpins Ankalaev and Jiri Prochazka -- as well as recent 205-pound joinee Paulo Costa -- were the frontrunners for the rumored interim title match. Even former UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev was said to be in the mix. 

Magomed Ankalaev suggests Paulo Costa is avoiding their potential fight; Jiri Prochazka seems to be on a collision course with Navajo Stirling

In the first week of August, Magomed Ankalaev implied that UFC CBO (Chief Business Officer) Hunter Campbell had promised him a fight, likely against Paulo Costa. "Big Ank" posted the following on X:

"Hunter Campbell promised me lunch, but I'm still hungry because my lunch keeps running away. Bring me my chicken, Paulo Costa." 

Here in September, Ankalaev has reignited his feud with Costa, lobbing the accusation that the Brazilian combatant steered clear of a fight against him on more than one occasion. The Dagestani fighter's X post read: 

"I was being told by my team today that Paulo Costa turned down a fight with me for THIRD time now, I would turn the fight against me also." 

In another X post, he implied that his pursuit of a fight against Costa was purely business and that he held no personal grudges against "The Eraser." Ankalaev noted: 

"The reason I want to fight Paulo Costa is not because he is an easy fight, he's a great competitor and I want to test my skills against his skills. None of this is personal." 

Presently, Ankalaev is coming off a much-derided TKO win over Bogdan Guskov, who'd accepted their fight on short notice in July. As for Costa, he's fresh off knocking out the then-unbeaten Azamat Murzakanov in April. 

Furthermore, Jiri Prochazka is rumored to be fighting unbeaten Kiwi superstar Navajo Stirling, likely at UFC Doha on November 21, albeit it's yet to be announced by the UFC. 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORJohny PayneStaff Writer

Johny Payne is a combat sports journalist and Staff Writer at MMA Sucka.

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