Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira could skip the line for a title shot over Paulo Costa and other contenders.

Former UFC middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa raised eyebrows with a brutal knockout against Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 in his return to the light heavyweight division. After knocking out Murzakanov with a head kick, Costa made a strong case for a potential No. 1 contender fight for his next appearance in the Octagon.

Costa recently expressed frustration with the UFC’s ongoing reluctance to book him a fight. Amidst UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg’s ongoing hiatus, it’s uncertain if the matchmakers will book an interim title fight for later this year.

Costa recently questioned why Alex Pereira, who vacated the light heavyweight title earlier this year, is still a top contender in the latest rankings. It didn’t take long for Pereira to scold the promising contender.

Alex Pereira reacts to Paulo Costa’s comments about LHW rankings

In a recent Instagram comment, Pereira responded to Costa’s claims.

“It is not a provocation! But I see that you’re outdated, and I understand why, because it’s been a while since you signed your contract, and a lot of things have changed,” Pereira responded to Costa.

“If I want to compete for the light heavyweight belt, I can do this! A lot of fighters are waiting or working to get to that opportunity, and I went and took the opportunity. But now I want something more, which is the third belt. I have to take risks, because, if I hadn’t taken risks in all my struggles, I wouldn’t have conquered all that I have conquered.” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

As of this writing, Costa hasn’t responded to Pereira. The former two-division champion Pereira lost in his heavyweight debut last month against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.

Who should Alex Pereira fight next in his UFC return? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!