UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya can’t wait to face off against Brazilian knockout artist and 185lb number one contender Paulo Costa. Speaking to MMA Fighting Adesanya explained that he is looking forward to having a real fight after his last opponent Yoel Romero refused to throw at UFC 248, making for one of the worst fights of all-time.
“After that last fight, and dealing with what I had to deal with a statue, I’m looking to actually to go in there and have fun this time,” he said.
Costa is currently 5-0 inside the octagon with four knockout wins and a fight of the year contender as he went to war with Romero last time out. If Costa’s record isn’t scary, just one look at ‘Borrachinha’ is enough to strike fear into most. Adesanya though isn’t intimidated by his future opponent and is instead relishing the prospect of beating up someone who looks and fights like Costa does.
“This is picture perfect,” Adesanya said. “That’s why I love it. The way he looks, this juiced up monkey, evil Drago looking motherf*cker. There’s a skinny boy coming in there to whoop his ass, and when he whoops his ass, the sh*t I’m going to do to him afterwards. Oh my god. All the sh*t he said leading up to this fight, he’s going to pay for it. He’s going to hear after the fight. Guarantee you.”
Costa is known for him come-forward, aggressive fighting style and Adesanya believes that style will suit his game.
“He’s going to be a guy that’s going to press forward but he’s going to feel me from the get go,” Adesanya said. “He’s going to feel me like no one else in the UFC has felt me yet. I think the only guy that maybe pressed me a little bit other than Kelvin [Gastelum] was the Italian [Marvin Vettori]. They’re both juiced monkeys anyway.
“But I look forward to this test. I know he’s a way better version than that and he’s not a southpaw. He’s perfect. He’s orthodox. I’m kind of getting used to fighting southpaws these days. It’s just something I do so I’m looking forward to fighting a pure orthodox fighter that just does the sh*t I’ve seen a f*cking million times.”
Do you think Israel Adesanya will retain his middleweight belt when he faces off against Paulo Costa?