Magomed Ankalaev has stated he will only face Paulo Costa if the Brazilian applies pressure and moves forward in the fight.
Ankalaev addressed criticism of his recent main event bout against Bogdan Guskov, noting that he aimed to engage but adapted when his opponent remained defensive.
He also responded to Costa's remarks on restoring excitement to the division.
In a statement, Ankalaev said, "By the power of the Almighty, I shall save this weight class from monotony and boredom."