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“I’m not even focused on him at the moment. I know I’m going to face him afterwards. He can try all he wants. Anyone can try.”
Surging UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa has made repeated attempts to get under Israel Adesanya’s skin, but it doesn’t seem to be working.
Adesanya who, like Costa is undefeated, is currently focused on his upcoming title unification bout with Robert Whittaker at UFC 243, and ‘The Last Stylebender’ refuses to allow ‘Borrachinha’ to infiltrate his mind and distract him ahead of the biggest fight of his professional career.
“Nothing gets in,” Adesanya told MMA Fighting on Wednesday during the UFC 243 media conference call. “I’m not even focused on him at the moment. I know I’m going to face him afterwards. He can try all he wants. Anyone can try.
“People have tried in the past to get at me during fight week, but look how I show out.”
Costa, who claims he’ll fight the winner of Whittaker vs. Adesanya in the new year, will be ringside for UFC 243 but Adesanya couldn’t care less.
“It doesn’t really make a difference if he’s cage side, if he’s the referee – at the end of the day, I have a tough task ahead of me,” Adesanya said. “So that’s what I’m focused on right now.”
UFC 243: Whittaker vs. Adesanya takes place next month, October 6 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.