After UFC Abu Dhabi, the light heavyweight landscape looks unsettled and the immediate question is simple: who will the promotion choose to fight for a crown while the division’s top names sort out injuries and weight moves? Decisions made now could reshape matchmaking across three weight classes.
Magomed Ankalaev’s place in that debate is complicated. He can finish fights — his wins over Ion Cuțelaba, Anthony Smith and Johnny Walker showcase that — yet his recent outing in Abu Dhabi, where he only secured a late stoppage of Bogdan Guskov, left many fans and pundits unconvinced. That inconsistency is a central factor as the UFC weighs potential interim title plans.
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The division’s fragility is partly logistical. Carlos Ulberg remains sidelined after an ACL tear sustained in his bout with Jiří Procházka, removing a high-profile option from the short-term picture. With the undisputed champion unavailable, the promotion appears likely to stage an interim 205-pound title fight — and there are a handful of plausible candidates.
- Alex Pereira — Vacated the light heavyweight belt to try his hand at heavyweight and recently came up short against Ciryl Gane in an interim heavyweight bout; has publicly hinted at a possible return to 205.
- Jiří Procházka — Charismatic and dangerous, but he has now fallen short in multiple title opportunities, which complicates his immediate candidacy.
- Paulo Costa — A former middleweight title challenger who has begun to make noise at 205, including a highlight knockout of Azamat Murzakanov; presents a crossover, high-profile matchup option.
- Jamahal Hill — Former champion but out of action for more than a year and on a three-fight skid.
- Khalil Rountree Jr. — Showed promise in bouts with top names but has been up-and-down recently and withdrew from an expected clash with Ankalaev due to injury.
- Dominick Reyes — Enjoying a modest resurgence but not yet in clear title contention compared with several peers.
- Azamat Murzakanov — His momentum was halted by Costa’s knockout, weakening his claim for an immediate title shot.
- Bogdan Guskov — Came up short at Abu Dhabi and is not the likeliest ticket to an interim belt.
- Dustin Jacoby — Also lost at Abu Dhabi, which diminishes his near-term title leverage.
There’s an additional variable few are counting on but that could alter plans: Khamzat Chimaev. After losing the middleweight title to Sean Strickland, chatter surfaced about a jump to light heavyweight. Conversations involving the fighter and UFC leadership suggested genuine interest — and if Chimaev moves up, that could disrupt matchmaking across multiple divisions.
Absent a surprise move from Chimaev or a weight-class return from Pereira, the matchup that makes the most sense on paper for an interim crown is Ankalaev vs. Paulo Costa. It pairs a proven 205 regular whose style is stylistically compelling with a former middleweight contender who announced himself at light heavyweight and brings name recognition.
That fight wouldn’t necessarily satisfy every fan in terms of excitement, but it would deliver clear implications: it creates a temporary beltholder to keep the division active, gives Ankalaev a landmark opportunity to stabilize his title trajectory, and hands Costa a headline spot that could define his 205-pound credentials. For the UFC, it’s a practical option that fits the immediate need for continuity while injured or absent champions recover or decide their routes.
Ultimately, the next few weeks should reveal whether the promotion pursues that pragmatic path or waits for bigger draws to return. Either way, the outcome will shape matchmaking priorities across light heavyweight — and possibly ripple into middleweight and heavyweight matchups as well.
