Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight beefcake, Paulo Costa, is used to being targeted by haters from the outside world, thanks to his ripped physique and Octagon winning streak.
Like silly surf dudes with spaghetti arms.
But Costa now brings word that he was the victim of an inside job, as well. It seems one of his trainers tried to blackmail him with video of “The Eraser” being hooked up to an IV filled with saline solution and stomach medication, which stood in violation of United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
“He tried to use that short moment to hurt me and extort me with that video,” Costa told Ag Fight (via MMA Fighting). “He said, ‘If you don’t give me this amount of money…’ I believe he thought, ‘He’s in the UFC, making a lot of money, I’ll extort him.’ I had worked with him four or five years before (joining) the UFC, but there was no extortion because I wasn’t making money.”
The IV in question drew a six-month ban from mixed martial arts (MMA), which included six months for his coach, Carlos Costa. The 12-0 “Eraser,” however, did not identify which trainer was involved in the sneaky snitch job.
“He was already identified and removed from the team,” Costa said. “This person tried to send it to several people. He hurt himself a lot because he was cut from the team. He was part of the team and betrayed not only my confidence, but every fighter’s (confidence), I believe. I don’t know if a trainer can have the confidence of a fighter or a gym owner now because if he does that to one fighter, he’ll do to another. This guy has to be banned from the sport.”
Costa will make his return to the cage as part of the UFC 241 pay-per-view (PPV) event this August in Anaheim, where he’ll put his undefeated streak on the line against power-punching ex-title contender, Yoel Romero (13-3).
For much more on that upcoming contest click here.