UFC
Israel Adesanya retained his middleweight title by smashing Paulo Costa in the UFC 253 pay-per-view (PPV) main event last weekend on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi. And after months of shit talk from the Brazilian, “The Last Stylebender” added insult to injury.
By way of celebratory rump hump (see it here).
While post-fight antics are not uncommon at the conclusion of longstanding rivalries, ranging from an extra shot after the knockout blow to flying loogies by way of Air Britain, they are generally frowned upon from the losing side.
“You can’t do that,” manager Wallid Ismail told MMA Fighting. “Borrachinha is angry. It was disgusting, (Adesanya) showed his lack of character. Two warriors settle their issues in the fight, but he’s a bum. That’s the worst thing he could have done. (Costa) is pure anger right now.”
Adesanya and Costa had a long and public feud that was not short on antics from both sides. While I understand the argument about sportsmanship, it’s hard to cry foul when you talk as much smack as “The Eraser” did before the fight (sample here).
“The action that human trash did after the fight,” Costa said on social media. “I did not see it when I was inside the cage, but I saw now. I disapprove, 100-percent. Nobody can stop me. I want my rematch. To make him pay.”
Any talk of a rematch is premature, as promotion president Dana White has already anointed Jared Cannonier as the next in line for the middleweight crown, with Jack Hermansson waiting patiently in the wings. And that’s before we even get to potential super fights against Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic.
Simply put, Costa has some work to do.