Former UFC middleweight smashing machine Wanderlei Silva knows a thing or two about fellow Brazilian bruiser Paulo Costa, having coached “The Eraser” on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): “Brazil 3” back in early 2014.
Costa dropped a split decision to Marcio Alexandre Junior on Episode 7.
Silva recently told Portal do Vale Tudo that Costa would benefit from a larger camp, like Kings MMA, where the once-beaten middleweight contender could get outside his comfort zone and continue to grow as a martial artist.
That advice will be ignored.
“I really appreciate his concern. I already trained in many places in Brazil and around the world and never had the hard times I faced in my camps,” Costa replied (via Sherdog.com). “My team is doing a wonderful job. It worked so far and will continue to work, because the training is twice as hard as the fight itself. It will not be an accident that I’ll change everything. Make no mistake. No one watches my training, so don’t believe the guy who thinks he can tell you how it works.”
Costa (13-1) jumped out to a 13-0 start to his UFC career, racking up wins over the likes of Uriah Hall and Yoel Romero along the way. The party ended against middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, who crumbled “The Eraser” in the second-round of their UFC 253 title fight.
The UFC Vegas 41 main event on Oct. 23, where Costa makes his Octagon return against fellow 185-pound contender Marvin Vettori, may (or may not) help prove whether or not “The Eraser’s” decision to stick with his current camp was the right call.
To see who else is fighting at UFC Vegas 41 click here.