Two proven middleweight knockout artists will go head-to-head tonight (Sat. July 7, 2018) at the UFC 226 pay-per-view (PPV) when undefeated Paulo Costa takes on Uriah Hall.
Initially the pair were set to clash at UFC Atlantic City in April, but an injury forced the Brazilian to pull out of the fight. Hall opted to wait for Costa to recover and try and run it back again. They’ll finally collide tonight in “Sin City.”
The undefeated Brazilian recently spoke to MMA Fighting about his upcoming clash with Hall, who he admits will be the toughest task of his undefeated mixed martial arts (MMA) career thus far:
”That’s true, Hall is better ranked than everyone else I fought so far,” Costa said. “But my next fight is always the toughest because I’m moving up the ladder. It’s normal.
“I’m used to that, but people might think it will be different. It doesn’t change a bit for me. It will be tough just like they all were, but it’s always a different challenge. I don’t think it will be harder.
”It will be as tough as the others, but I will know how to deal with them and make it easier. Every fight I had was tough, but I can make them easier and get the victory and it makes my opponents look bad [laughs]. That’s what happens.”
Costa believes he’s the most powerful and dangerous striker the middleweight division has to offer at the moment. While some may think that Hall has him bested when it comes to technique, Costa thinks Hall will be too shaken by the fear of his knockout power and ability to finish the fight in an instant, forcing him to fight more hesitantly – thus rendering his technique advantage obsolete:
”I think I’m the most powerful and dangerous striker in my division,” Costa said. “I think that my physique and power scares my opponents a lot. My opponents get scared because they might get knocked out at any moment, so they don’t have the same performance.
”When Hall fights me, he won’t fight the same way he would fight someone who doesn’t have the same punching power. That means his technique won’t matter. He’ll stay cornered, he will be afraid. I won’t judge if I am or am not more technical, but I know I can land my strikes in a way that someone will go down.
“That’s what matters. I don’t care if it’s not flashy or beautiful. I think about connecting and knocking someone out.”
Costa is 3-0 in his UFC career and has had some dominant performances inside the Octagon. Despite this he has received a ton of criticism claiming that he has yet to truly be tested against one of the division’s best.
Hopefully a solid performance against Hall will finally silence those doubters, but Costa recognizes that in the sport of MMA criticism will always live on no matter how successful the fighter. He uses Conor McGregor as a perfect example:
”That happens, for example, with Conor McGregor,” Costa said. “McGregor beat Max Holloway, Dustin Poirier, Dennis Siver, Chad Mendes, and then (Jose) Aldo, and people kept talking. After all those fights, they kept saying he was lucky, that he had no tough fights. People will always talk and try to diminish your victory no matter who you’re fighting.
”McGregor knocked out Aldo in 13 seconds and people said it was luck. It will be the same thing with me. They are saying Hall is my toughest opponent. When I beat him, they will say Hall is not that tough. Next time I’ll fight a top five, and after I beat him they will say I wasn’t tested yet.”
Finally, when it comes to capturing middleweight gold, Costa believes his time will come in 2019:
”I think it will come in 2019,” Costa said. “I will be ready for the belt in 2019. I truly believe that.”
What do you think about Costa’s big predictions for himself in 2019? Let us know in the comments section!
