Former undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has replied to his former opponent and division rival, Paulo Costa on social media overnight – reminding the Brazilian of their 2020 title showdown in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Adesanya, a former undisputed UFC middleweight champion and the current #1 ranked division challenger, returns to the Octagon next weekend atop a UFC 287 pay-per-view card in Miami, Florida.
Taking headlining honors, Adesanya rematches recently minted division best, Alex Pereira in an undisputed title fight – having dropped the crown to the Brazilian back in November at Madison Square Garden in a fifth round standing TKO loss.
As for Costa, the Belo Horizonte native recently confirmed he had agreed terms on a new, four-fight deal with the Dana White-led organization, with his representative touting the Brazilian as the best-paid fighter from the region as a result of his new contract.
Paulo Costa pokes fun of Israel Adesanya on social media
Poking at Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya on social media ahead of his championship rematch with Pereira next month, Costa joked that the former champion had been forced to withdraw from his title rematch at UFC 287.
“Breaking NEWS!” Paulo Costa tweeted. “(Israel) Adesanya is out [of] UFC 287! #Injured.”
Breaking NEWS !
Adesanya is out UFC 287! #Injured pic.twitter.com/jmCMZmyeCz— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) March 28, 2023
In response to the Brazilian, Adesanya forced the #5 ranked challenger to reflect on their 2020 title fight on ‘Fight Island’ – where Costa suffered his first professional loss in mixed martial arts, courtesy of a second round TKO.
“Lol, my cl*t would be bigger than your d*ck,” Israel Adesanya tweeted. “You remember…”
Returning to the winner’s enclosure back in August of last year on the main card of UFC 278, Costa managed to defeat former middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold in a unanimous decision triumph in Salt Lake City.