After UFC Abu Dhabi, questions have revolved around what is next for the championship picture and where Magomed Ankalaev fits into things.
On one hand, Ankalaev has proven he can be violent and get the job done in the Octagon. Some of his victories in the UFC against Ion Cutelaba, Anthony Smith, and Johnny Walker prove this. On the other hand, Ankalaev can have some stinkers. And even though he ultimately got a decent finish of Bogdan Guskov in the fifth round, that UFC Abu Dhabi fight stunk like a post-game locker room.
The thing is, plenty of voices talk about how rough a shape the UFC’s heavyweight division is in. But the UFC’s light heavyweight division isn’t that much better. And with Carlos Ulberg still on the shelf after tearing his ACL in his vacant title fight win over Jiri Prochazka a few months ago, the UFC more than likely needs to pick two guys to fight for an interim title sooner or later.
So, who are the options? Let’s look at the UFC Meta Rankings’ top 10 at 205 entering UFC Abu Dhabi.
Alex Pereira – This one’s interesting. Pereira vacated the title to move up to heavyweight, losing to Ciryl Gane at the White House last month in an interim heavyweight title fight. Considering the options of new opponents for him at heavyweight, including Josh Hokit’s callout, it looked like he’d stay there. But he very recently teased Ankalaev that he could come back down and take the 205-pound title back? Maybe the UFC’s looking at this list and wondering if they need Pereira at 205.
Jiri Prochazka – Jiri is lovable, and he really could’ve beaten Ulberg if he didn’t hold back. But three unsuccessful title fights, even if two were against Pereira, is three unsuccessful title fights.
Paulo Costa – This is the most intriguing option. Costa fought once at light heavyweight during 2021, and then he formally jumped up to the weight class this year. And what did he do? He knocked out an unbeaten, dangerous up-and-comer in Azamat Murzakanov. Considering that and Costa’s status as a former middleweight title challenger, he probably makes for a noteworthy interim title fight candidate.
Jamahal Hill – He’s a former champion, but he’s lost three straight and hasn’t fought in over a year now.
Khalil Rountree Jr. – A former title challenger who put up a spirited battle with Pereira. He was on a winning streak but has lost two of three, most recently getting finished by Prochazka at UFC 320. He was supposed to fight Anakalev but withdrew two weeks ago due to injury.
Dominick Reyes – He’s had a career resurgence since 2024 but hasn’t put himself in a true title position compared to some of the others on here.
Azamat Murzakanov – Costa knocked him out and ruined his chances of being a worthy name on this list.
Bogdan Guskov – He lost at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Dustin Jacoby – He lost at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Here’s a wild card everyone is forgetting as well – around the time Khamzat Chimaev lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland a couple of months ago, there were talks about Chimaev possibly moving up to light heavyweight, too. And when this writer looked at UFC CEO and President Dana White’s face when those plans were brought up, something seemed to twinkle in his expression that said: “I’m interested in this possibility.”
Now, is Chimaev going to go through with this? Or is he going to pursue a rematch with Strickland? That’s what we’ll have to wait on – and it’s a decision that can affect middleweight, light heavyweight, AND heavyweight.
Unless Chimaev or Pereira make things interesting by debuting or returning, respectively, to the division, the best fight the UFC could make for an interim light heavyweight title at this point is Ankalaev vs. Costa. Would it be the most popular? Maybe not. But the former champ vs. a former title challenger from another division who made a lot of noise in his true 205 debut? That smells like a decent co-main event for a numbered card under a true title headliner.
