​Paulo Costa wasn’t about to fight Magomed Ankalaev on short notice at UFC Fight Night 282.Ankalaev (21-2-1 MMA, 12-2-1 UFC) was scheduled to face Khalil Rountree in the July 25 headliner at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, but Rountree withdrew due to injury. Both Jan Blachowicz and Costa revealed that the UFC contacted them, but they ultimately went with Bogdan Guskov (18-3-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC) as the replacement.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile Blachowicz accepted the fight, Costa (16-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) didn’t. He explained why it wasn’t convenient to fight the former UFC light heavyweight champion.”It’s so short notice, less than 14 days to get on a flight to Abu Dhabi,” Costa said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “Sixteen-hour flight to Abu Dhabi for five rounds, for the same money, and not for an interim belt. I don’t think this makes sense right now. I thought about it, but it doesn’t make sense. My weight is not bad. I’m 234 (pounds) right now. I should start a very strict diet because I need like seven or eight weeks to make weight properly. Different than when I fight middleweight, when I needed 12, maybe 14 weeks.”Ankalaev responded to Costa and expressed interest in facing the newly minted light heavyweight, who handed Azamat Murzakanov his first-career loss by head-kick TKO at UFC 327.”I agree with him – fight me. They don’t need eight weeks; they need ten years.”I’ll win my next fight, and then you and I can fight in October or November. It would be my pleasure.”This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Magomed Ankalaev eyes Paulo Costa, who turned down UFC Abu Dhabi offer