Paulo Costa wants to be relentless against Israel Adesanya.
Costa is expected to challenge Adesanya for the UFC middleweight championship on Sept. 12 at UFC 253. It would be Costa’s first opportunity at UFC gold and the second time Adesanya puts his 185-pound title on the line. UFC president Dana White says the event will likely take place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi but that isn’t a lock.
Costa Plans To Bring The Heat Against Adesanya, Will Not Make Amends
The bad blood between Costa and Adesanya appears to have no end in sight. Speaking to Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie, “Borrachinha” said he will not embrace Adesanya even after their fight.
“Even after I knock him out, I will not shake his hand,” Costa told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “It will be wild. It will be savage. … I believe in the second round (I will knock him out) because he will run a lot in the first round.”
Costa doesn’t plan to take his foot off the gas against Adesanya.
“I will not be staying and waiting for him,” Costa said. “I know he can run a lot, and that’s what he wants to do, what he usually does. I won’t wait like Romero did. I will hunt him inside the cage and close the distance and land my shots to his body and his face. … Don’t go so fast like Whittaker and don’t go slow like Romero. Make a balance. I think I am very different from both guys because I can pressure him every minute for the 25 minutes.”
As of now, Adesanya vs. Costa hasn’t been made official. It was reported by Combate but UFC president Dana White insists it isn’t a done deal yet. With Robert Whittaker emerging victorious over Darren Till at UFC on ESPN 14, it leaves Adesanya vs. Costa as the only logical choice.
