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Tag: Paulo Costa

  • Sean Strickland Slams UFC Higher-Ups After Calling Out Low Offer For Paulo Costa Fight: ‘All These Corporations Are F**king Leeches’

    Sean Strickland Slams UFC Higher-Ups After Calling Out Low Offer For Paulo Costa Fight: ‘All These Corporations Are F**king Leeches’

    Sean Strickland thinks you’d need to put a gun to the UFC’s head in order for the promotion to do the right things.

    That sentiment came from Strickland’s first outspoken moment of fight week for this Saturday’s UFC 302 pay-per-view, where the former middleweight champion is tasked with getting the better of Paulo Costa in a five-round co-headliner.

    Having lost the title to Dricus Du Plessis this past January, “Tarzan” was firm in calling for an immediate rematch. And it seems things didn’t go smoothly when the promotion slid a different bout agreement across his desk.

    After reports emerged of Strickland and Costa’s targeted showdown in Newark on June 1, the former took to social media to insist that nothing was official due to the UFC offering an unacceptable sum.

    That issue evidently got sorted and Strickland will indeed make the walk at Prudential Center this weekend. But his frustrations don’t appear to have fully dissipated…

    Strickland: Look At What The Guys Who Run The UFC Earn!

    During a recent interview with Daniel Cormier during UFC 302 fight week, Strickland looked ahead to his clash with Costa and spoke on his public complaints during negotiations for the fight.

    Strickland unsurprisingly didn’t avoid stepping beyond the company line, slamming the UFC as just another corporation headed by “leeches” who avoid acting correctly to most fighters.

    “Here’s the thing, sometimes you’ve gotta be ready to f*cking throw away your entire career if you don’t get your sh*t,” Strickland said. “Just doing the f*cking right things, man. The UFC doesn’t do the right things. It doesn’t f*cking do the right things. It doesn’t do the right things with most of the roster. 

    “If you go look at what these f*cks, the guys that run the UFC, what they’re making and what (fighters) get paid, it’s f*cking sh*t, dude. The UFC does not do the f*cking right things,” Strickland continued. “Unless you hold them at gunpoint, they aren’t gonna do it. But that’s all business these days. All these f*cking corporations are f*cking leeches, dude. Look at the working man’s f*cking (pay) gap, bro. My gap is a lot f*cking smalled than your guys’ gap, but that’s how it works. These corporations are just f*cking sucky.”

    Strickland is never far from the headlines during his fight weeks. While that was the case for UFC 297 earlier this year due to his tirade against a reporter who questioned his past anti-LGBTQ comments, the promotion itself is the entity coming under fire days out from UFC 302.

    It remains to be seen what Strickland will produce while on the microphone at Thursday’s press conference, or while throwing down with Costa inside the Octagon.

  • UFC Full Fight: Relive Paulo Costa’s Bloody Brawl With Luke Rockhold Ahead Of UFC 302 Return

    UFC 302 co-headliner Paulo Costa’s latest triumph inside the Octagon came in memorable and bloody fashion almost two years ago. 

    “Borrachinha” will feature in the co-main event of this weekend’s pay-per-view card in Newark, New Jersey, where he’s tasked with getting the better of fellow contender and former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland.

    Costa made his return from a lengthy layoff this past February, squaring off against Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 in Anaheim. The highly entertaining affair came 18 months on from his previous outing at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City in Utah.

    On that night, the Brazilian welcomed former titleholder Luke Rockhold back to action. While the altitude saw fatigue heavily affect their showdown, the three-round affair still featured a number of notable moments, chief among them being the veteran’s gruesome wipe of his bloody face on Costa in the dying moments.

    Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Costa vs. Rockhold fight from UFC 278 on its official YouTube channel.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xajbQsU0tJU

    Be it in a similar fashion or a more comfortable one, Costa will be fully focused on having his hand raised inside the Octagon again this weekend inside Newark’s Prudential Center.

    And given that Strickland entered this year with the gold in his possession, such a feat would no doubt leave the Brazilian within touching distance of a second opportunity at achieving champ status on MMA’s biggest stage.

  • Sean Strickland’s Difference In Approach Between Adesanya & DDP Fights Pointed Out Ahead Of Paulo Costa Contest: ‘It Changed Him…’

    Sean Strickland was able to shock the world with his middleweight title win and dominant performance against Israel Adesanya.

    He came in a huge underdog at UFC 293 and was able to successfully implement his style in order to cause all kinds of problems for “The Last Stylebender”.

    Whilst his first title defense was still a closely contended fight, Dricus Du Plessis didn’t have many of the same problems when facing Strickland at UFC 297.

    The challenger still struggled to land anything clean on the champion and of course, styles make fights so he was able to threaten with his grappling more.

    There may be lessons that can be learned from these two fights about Strickland’s trajectory which could end up being crucial in his return this weekend.

    ‘Big’ John McCarthy Says Sean Strickland Needs To Find His Groove Against Paulo Costa 

    At UFC 302, Strickland will face Paulo Costa in the co-main event over five rounds in Newark, New Jersey

    The former champion certainly has some attributes that he may be able to use effectively in this fight but there was also one concern that has been highlighted.

    On the latest episode of the Weighing In podcast, “Big” John McCarthy spoke about how the pressure on Strickland changed massively between UFC 293 and 297.

    McCarthy believes that against Du Plessis, the champion at the time was too reserved and cautious at times and as a result, was unable to control the fight or bully his opponent.

    Forcing a dangerous striker like Costa to back up versus letting him dictate the range and pace could be absolutely vital for Strickland as he attempts to bounce back.

    “The real question is, and you bring up the Izzy fight, I thought Sean went into that fight similar to what I was talking with Dustin, he had no pressure on him. No one expected him to win, there’s no pressure, just go be you and he did. You go and look at the DDP fight, he had a ton of pressure on him and it changed him. He was a lot tighter during the fight, you could see where he was pressing at time. He just was not in that flow like he was against Izzy, he needs to get back to that.”  

  • Sean Strickland’s Coach On How He Can Win More Rounds In Judges’ Eyes & Not Lose Close Decisions: ‘You Almost Kinda Get Lulled To Sleep…’

    Sean Strickland’s Coach On How He Can Win More Rounds In Judges’ Eyes & Not Lose Close Decisions: ‘You Almost Kinda Get Lulled To Sleep…’

    Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa will face each other at UFC 302 and the highly anticipated five-round middleweight fight will serve as the co-main event. Because the stakes are high, Strickland’s coach Erick Nicksick wants to make his fighter’s style more impressive for the judges. 

    Strickland is coming off a bitter title loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297 as the fight was razor close and the challenger bagged a split decision win. Costa, on the other hand, went to war with Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 but lost unanimously on the judges’ scorecards.

    Despite losses, both Strickland and Costa haven’t lost credibility as top middleweight contenders, and winning at UFC 302 can put either on the path to the title again. 

    Nicksick expanded on some things in Strickland’s fighting style that he believes can bore the judges, and he hopes not to repeat the same mistakes this time. 

    Sean Strickland’s Coach Shares Lessons From the Du Plessis Fight  

    In an interview with CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri, Nicksick was asked whether Strickland’s style needs to change so his fights don’t end up becoming close decisions.

    “I think you just have to give more scoring elements, more things for the judges to be able to see, you know. Sean is so predicated off his lead side and his lead hand,” Nicksick said. “You get a death by a thousand paper cuts. You almost kinda get lulled to sleep by the same offensive action over and over and over. So, you know, in the Dricus fight, I think there was a lot of things we could have done better. 

    “I think we could have implemented some more kicks, some more teeps. The one thing that really stood out to me was you know when we hit the switches on the ground. Instead of getting up and popping right back up, there was an opportunity for us to lay some ground and pound on him.”

    Nicksick went on to acknowledge that a more aggressive or diverse approach would help Strickland in not having frequent split-decision fights. Since joining the UFC, he’s been in five split decisions where he clinched victory against three opponents but lost to Jared Cannonier and Du Plessis. 

    Former featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski raised similar concerns about Strickland’s fighting style being too defensive and how it affects scoring even though he doesn’t take a lot of damage. 

  • Coach Explains Why Fans Will See A ‘Different’ Paulo Costa In ‘People’s Main Event’ At UFC 302

    Coach Explains Why Fans Will See A ‘Different’ Paulo Costa In ‘People’s Main Event’ At UFC 302

    The coach of UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa has promised fans that a new and improved version of the Brazilian will take to the Octagon this weekend.

    After contractual disputes and injuries kept him out of action for a considerable period, Costa made his first walk to the octagon since 2022 at UFC 298 in Anaheim this past February.

    While he emerged from the Honda Center without a victory, the former title challenger’s performance in defeat against ex-champion Robert Whittaker signaled that he remains a strong threat at 185 pounds.

    “Borrachinha” will now look to go a step further by having his hand raised at the UFC 302 pay-per-view on June 1, where he’s set to co-headline opposite another former divisional kingpin in Sean Strickland.

    More than just looking to repeat the competitive display he had earlier this year, Costa’s team is seemingly expecting the best “Borrachinha” to date in Newark…

    Coach Albarracin Touts Costa’s UFC 302 Preparation

    During episode one of the UFC 302 Embedded: Vlog Series, cameras caught up with Costa and his team as they trained at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Coach Eric Albarracin was complimentary toward his student’s progress, claiming that the UFC 302 camp is the first time he’s seen Costa find a “rhythm” pre-fight. 

    “One week out before UFC 302 in Newark. Co-main event, but the people’s main event,” Albarracin said. “You know, I’ve never seen Paulo in a rhythm. So now he’s in a rhythm, and you’re gonna see a different Paulo Costa; refocused, recalibrated, and reloaded.”

    Whether or not that translates into a standout performance inside the Prudential Center this weekend remains to be seen.

    But given that Strickland only lost the title this past January, a triumph over “Tarzan” will go a major way to earning “Borrachinha” a second opportunity at achieving champ status himself on MMA’s biggest stage.

  • Costa Challenges “Rat” Sean Strickland, Strickland Says UFC Declined

    UFC middleweight Sean Strickland claims the UFC has rejected a fight between him and Paulo Costa.

    A fight between Strickland and Costa has some logic on paper. They are currently deadlocked at the #4 spot in the UFC rankings, and neither man is expected to receive a title shot at Israel Adesanya next, due to Jared Cannonier being most likely to fill that role.

    Additionally, Robert Whittaker (#1) and Marvin Vettori (#3) are unavailable after being targeted to fight one another. So with Strickland and Costa both available, what’s stopping the two of them from being paired together?

    According to Sean Strickland, the UFC itself is stopping it.

    This claim comes after Costa called out Strickland in a re-tweet of an article from last November where Strickland requested the same fight.

    “Letā€™s do it rat. Veremos se Ć© valentĆ£o mesmo,” Costa wrote.

    “I asked for Costa and the UFC didn’t seem so confident in his future.. Also i dont think they liked me punching down to get a title shot lol.. but worst case for you Costa there is always bellator.. Maybe 205? Idk…” Strickland responded.

    “@BorrachinhaMMA heres the thing man. The UFC said no. I asked multiple times….. But after your forced to move to light heavyweight I’ll catch you in Vegas and if you wanna run your mouth I’ll give it to you for free…” he wrote in a follow-up tweet directed at Costa himself.

    Although Paulo Costa insists that he will remain in the middleweight division, as Strickland alludes to, this is still unconfirmed after Dana White publicly stated the Brazilian will need to move up to light heavyweight following the weight-related debacle ahead of his fight against Marvin Vettori last October.

    Additionally, even though both fighters are tied at #4, Strickland’s “punching down” comment is likely in reference to the American being on a six-fight winning streak while Costa has lost two straight.

    In any event, Costa clearly isn’t buying what Strickland is pushing out based on the following response to Strickland’s revelation.

    “I knew you were a fuc*king pus*y but this show of insecurity surprised even me. just another fake macho,” Costa responded.

    When Strickland and Costa have their next fight booked, against one another or otherwise, or if the two simply decide to ramp up this new Twitter beef instead, MMA News will be here to keep you covered with all the latest.

    Do you think Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa is the fight to make right now?

  • Paulo Costa Praises Vladimir Putin Amid Russia/Ukraine War

    UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa is a fan of Russian president Vladimir Putin despite the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

    Many UFC fighters have voiced their thoughts on the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia. Most have criticized Putin and Russia for their actions, but Costa sees it as a sign of strength.

    In a recent tweet, Costa praised the Russian leader despite the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and hinted at a comparison to Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.

    https://twitter.com/BorrachinhaMMA/status/1502018056406638598?s=20&t=zYCg1U9R_lHsbsjzKY2tzA

    “Vladimir Putin Putin is not a weak leader like Biden or Macron,” Costa said. “Heā€™s a former military man who has already been stabbed in the belly and survived. He is another level of world leader. Do you know another Leader who has the same characteristics past?”

    Costa isn’t the only UFC fighter who has made his thoughts known on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Sean Strickland and Jan Blachowicz recently engaged in a Twitter debate about the topic, garnering attention from fans on social media.

    Costa’s thoughts on Putin are in direct contrast to Ukrainian UFC fighter Maryna Moroz, who has used her platform to bring awareness to the crisis.

    Costa is looking to get back in the win column following back-to-back losses to UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and top contender Marvin Vettori. He’s hinted at a return to the Octagon in 2022 but doesn’t have a fight lined up yet.

    Do you agree with Paulo Costa’s take on Vladamir Putin?

  • (Archives) White: Costa Tried To Use Fake Doctor To Get Cleared (2020)

    The following article was published on this day two years ago, and it is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Two Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 5, 2020, 10:15 AM]

    UFC president Dana White says Paulo Costa attempted to be cleared by a fake doctor so he could fight Israel Adesanya.

    Following Adesanyaā€™s UFC 243 knockout win over Robert Whittaker, Costa was in attendance and took shots at the champ. The two were then scheduled to fight at this event but an injury to the Brazilian left Yoel Romero to step in.

    Although Costa was reported to be out for six months, White said Costa got one of his friends to pretend to be a doctor so he could get cleared.

    ā€œI respect him,ā€ White said a recent media scrum (via MMA Mania). ā€œI respect the fact he wants to fight. ā€˜Iā€™m ready, Iā€™m ready,ā€™ no youā€™re not. Youā€™re not a doctor. And then he got some guy whoā€™s his buddy or something to say heā€™s okay. No, thatā€™s not how this works. I donā€™t want to push him and make him hurt himself again. Take your time, youā€™re getting the fight, that fight is gonna happen, donā€™t worry about it.ā€

    ā€œHeā€™s close, but letā€™s take our time,ā€ White continued, encouraging Costa to slow down. ā€œThe more time the better with that injury. Then he starts throwing up videos of himself hitting the mitts and doing all kinds of crazy s*** that he probably shouldnā€™t be doing right now. But heā€™s a freak athlete too, so who knows. I just donā€™t want the guy to get hurt again.ā€

    There is no doubt Costa is next in line for the winner of the main event between Adesanya and Romero.

  • John McCarthy Believes Luke Rockhold Has A Chance Against Paulo Costa

    John McCarthy has come out and said why he understands Luke Rockhold’s callout of Paul Costa for his return fight in the UFC.

    Rockhold was scheduled to return to competitive action against Sean Strickland at UFC 268 in November of last year. However, at that time, the former UFC middleweight champion was forced to withdraw as he herniated a disc in his back.

    The 37-year-old is now eyeing a return to the Octagon at some point this year, as he chose to call out Costa as a potential opponent.

    Luke Rockhold Sean Strickland
    Photo via Instagram @lukerockhold

    McCarthy recently spoke on his podcast with Josh Thomson, where he evaluated Rockhold’s potential return against Costa as being good a matchup for the veteran. (h/t SportsKeeda)

    “Yes, Luke at times gets too much into being a standup guy,” McCarthy explained. “Cause he’s slick, he’s a technical fighter. He’s got beautiful kicks, he hides them well, he’s got power on them, but his ground game is what made Luke Rockhold who he was.”

    “They don’t give him credit for being as good as he is, and Luke on the ground is good. That dude is phenomenal on the ground. And there’s a huge difference between his ground game and Paulo Costa’s ground game. So, if I look at this fight, I go, this is not a bad fight for him. I understand why he’s calling him out.”

    Costa, like Rockhold, is now on a two-fight losing streak following his loss to Marvin Vettori in October of last year. This means a fight between the pair could make sense regarding the landscape of the middleweight division currently.

    Both fighters could see themselves reentering the title picture with a victory. However, many are still left wondering whether there is fight left in Rockhold, who would be returning to 185lbs for the first time since his knockout loss to Yoel Romero in 2018. Yet a two-year break might be all that was required for the veteran to rest and recover for a special comeback.

    Do you agree with John McCarthy that Paulo Costa is a good matchup for Luke Rockhold?

  • Rockhold Open To Hunting For Costa’s ‘Wine-Affected Liver’ In June

    Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is raring to go and targeting a return to the Octagon this summer.

    Rockhold hasn’t been in action since a brutal 2019 knockout loss to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239. With consecutive devastating losses to the Polish powerhouse and Cuban destroyer Yoel Romero, it’s understandable why the 37-year-old has taken a hiatus from the sport.

    But last year, Rockhold committed to a return. He was set to share the cage with rising contender Sean Strickland last November at UFC 268. That clash fell through when the former 185-pound titleholder suffered a herniated disc.

    But with his recovery going well, the Californian recently teased a comeback. In a post uploaded to Instagram, Rockhold can be seen hard at work in the ring. In the accompanying caption, he seemingly hinted towards a potential showdown with #5-ranked contender Paulo Costa.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CZu0J1lBAy9/

    “Wine night in June”

    The caption appears to be in reference to Costa’s infamous post-fight revelation following his loss to Israel Adesanya in 2020. The Brazilian put his defeat down to the fact he’d consumed an entire bottle of wine the night before UFC 253.

    While Rockhold was keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the post during a recent appearance on Submission Radio, he did confirm that a clash with “Borrachinha” is an option if the right terms are met.

    “It’s an option. It’s a very viable option. If terms are met, you know, we could have a dance.”

    But that dance certainly won’t be happening if Costa experiences more weight issues. Ahead of his last appearance, a unanimous decision defeat to Marvin Vettori last October, the Brazilian arrived at fight week massively overweight and unable to make the middleweight limit. As a result, the headlining fight was contested at 205 pounds.

    While “The Italian Dream” went through with the bout and ultimately had his hand raised, Rockhold has assured Costa and the UFC that he wouldn’t have the same attitude to a weight miss.

    “Yeah, I’m not here to fight f*cking cheaters,” Rockhold asserted. “If weight is met (the fight could happen) unless too much wine is consumed, you never know. Weight has to be made. Weight has to be met. There are too many weak-ass people trying to get advantages. I’ve killed myself to make weight and f*cking do things right. Can’t say the same for the rest of them. I ain’t gonna do that again. I ain’t gonna fight a guy who misses weight purposely to gain an advantage. F*ck no… It’s weak-minded. It’s a very similar thing to excusing a loss to drinking too much wine the night before a world title fight.”

    Rockhold Hopes To Show Costa & His Liver The Door

    Ultimately, if Costa can prove that he’s able to make the 186-pound limit for non-title middleweight bouts, Rockhold is open to sharing the Octagon with the former title challenger, suggesting it would be a “fun fight.”

    Admitting his dislike for Costa, the former champ claimed the Brazilian’s “disrespect” for the sport of MMA motivates him to dispatch “The Eraser” inside the cage. Channeling his inner Hannibal Lector, Rockhold revealed his desire to feast on Costa’s ‘wine-affected’ liver.

    “He’s a guy that I don’t like. I think (he) disrespects the sport,” said Rockhold. “That motivates me to f*cking correct it. It’s a guy who’s obviously, you know, top-ranked, somehow., someway; when he can’t even make weight. If anything, he should be ranked in the 205-pound division. I don’t care for the guy, I’ll tell you that. I think it’s a fun fight. I think I can go show him the door. I think you have a guy who f*cking wants to make excuses on wine and weight. His liver’s obviously affected, so let’s go munch on it,” concluded Rockhold.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CMGONO3gicc/

    Having seen a 42-year-old Glover Teixeira and 38-year-old Blachowicz deliver title-winning performances in recent years, it seems Rockhold is fancying his chances for another run for gold.

    With the veteran targeting a June return, perhaps he can share the card with Adesanya’s next title defense, expected to be against Jared Cannonier in the same month.

    If Rockhold can deliver an impressive performance against a powerhouse like Costa, maybe “The Last Stylebender” will have a new contender to deal with.

    How do you think a fight between Luke Rockhold and Paulo Costa would play out?

  • Marvin Vettori Blasts Paulo Costa After Recent Rematch Comments

    UFC middleweight contender Marvin Vettori isn’t buying the idea that he owes Paulo Costa a rematch after the Brazilian’s recent comments.

    Vettori defeated Costa in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Vegas 41 last year. It was a back-and-forth war from start to finish, but Vettori was seen as the more active fighter and earned the decision on the judges’ scorecards.

    It was a wild buildup to the fight as well, as Costa came into the pre-fight festivities overweight and unable to make the 185-pound limit. The UFC and Vettori agreed to make it a 205-pound matchup after concerns that the event may fall through.

    Costa has recently come out and said that he only wants a Vettori rematch for his next Octagon appearance. It’s unlikely that the UFC will meet his demands despite Vettori being the only opponent that he seems interested in at the moment.

    Costa’s disdain for Vettori has increased since their first fight, as he’s attacked Vettori and threatened to sideline him for a year in the event a rematch happens. During a recent tweet, Vettori responded to Costa’s recent interview comments.

    “You was in the cage with me 30 pounds heavier and for real I know a b**ch her name Felicia she hits hard than you,” Vettori tweeted.

    It’s unclear who Vettori will face next in his return to the cage. UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will face Robert Whittaker in a rematch at UFC 271, but the #2-ranked Vettori could open the discussion of possibly getting another shot at Adesanya with another win.

    However, UFC President Dana White stated that Costa will need to fight at light heavyweight going forward, a claim that received major pushback from Costa’s management. At present, it seems that Costa seems content in fighting at middleweight, but it’ll have to only happen against Vettori unless he changes his mind.

    Do you want to see Marvin Vettori vs. Paulo Costa again?

  • Costa Only Interested In Vettori Rematch, ‘I Want To End His Life’

    Paulo Costa has a score to settle with Marvin Vettori.

    Paulo Costa is looking for a fight, and there is only one that interests him. Costa is coming off a loss to Marvin Vettori, and that is the man who he is targeting now.

    Costa desperately wants to run it back with Vettori and gain some revenge in the process. Costa is asking the big boss to allow him a rematch against the only man besides the champion Israel Adesanya to hand him a loss.

    ā€œI just said to let [UFC President] Dana White know,ā€ Costa told Ag. Fight via MMA Fighting. ā€œIā€™ll fight him now. Itā€™s the only fight that interests me. No one else interests me. Unless itā€™s for the title, but Iā€™m no fool. Iā€™m not stupid to consider [a title fight] now. I want to fight him. Heā€™s the only viable guy that interests me. If itā€™s not him, Iā€™m not even interested in fighting. I let Dana White know that.ā€

    There is no love lost between these two. Leading up to the fight, there was trash talk exchanged, and then Costa showed up to fight week overweight. During fight week, he asked the UFC to change the bout to light heavyweight, which was granted but not without some criticism from Vettori and his team. Now, Costa is the one calling out Vettori and threatening harm.

    ā€œI donā€™t respect him,ā€ Costa said of Vettori. ā€œI want to end his life. Heā€™s an a-hole, a fool. He had this win over me and thinks heā€™s the man, but heā€™s an a-hole, a child. We see heā€™s a goof, he canā€™t even wear shorts the right way. Thereā€™s a photo of him with his shorts backward, and he still thinks heā€™s the man. But Iā€™ll fight him again. I mean, at least I plan to…

    Paulo Costa Marvin Vettori
    PHOTO: MMA JUNKIE

    ā€œIā€™m not saying I want to fight Vettori because he took my place in the ranking,ā€ he continued. ā€œItā€™s not about that. Itā€™s because heā€™s an a**hole. I have to fight him. I have to erase this loss. I want to leave him sidelined for at least a year after the beating I give him. I want to hurt him. Iā€™m angry.ā€

    In the aftermath of the fight at UFC Vegas 41, Costa dropped to #5 in the rankings and was briefly condemned to fight at 205 pounds going forward. As a result of his win, Vettori now sits in the #2 spot and could be next for the winner of the title fight scheduled at UFC 271.

    It seems unlikely that Vettori will agree to face Costa again so quickly after everything that transpired leading up to the last bout. The only way could be if Robert Whittaker is victorious against Israel Adesanya and the UFC books an immediate rematch between the two.

    Do you think Marvin Vettori should agree to face Paulo Costa again?

  • TJ Dillashaw, Paulo Costa Among USADA’s Most Tested Fighters In 2021

    TJ Dillashaw and Paulo Costa were among the most targeted fighters in USADA’s drug-testing program in 2021.

    This comes after a report by MMA Junkie into the top-10 most tested fighters by USADA during the calendar year.

    Dillashaw had made his return to the Octagon following a two-year suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. Following his flyweight title loss to Henry Cejudo, he tested positive for EPO and was served with a lengthy suspension by USADA.

    The former bantamweight champion has since claimed that he used EPO to assist in his weight cut to 125 pounds and wasn’t meant to give him an added boost in the cage. He was tested 25 times by USADA over the past year.

    Dillashaw & Costa Both Fought Once In 2021

    Cory Sandhagen TJ Dillashaw
    Cory Sandhagen and TJ Dillashaw

    Dillashaw made his long-awaited return to the cage in 2021 against rising bantamweight Cory Sandhagen, earning a split-decision win in a Fight of the Year contender.

    Costa was tested 23 times in 2021, which could be seen as a bit surprising given his relative inactivity in the UFC over the past few years. He faced Marvin Vettori in a catchweight bout in his lone fight of the year, losing via a unanimous decision in a back-and-forth contest.

    Just above Dillashaw and Costa on the list was Misha Cirkunov, as the middleweight and former light heavyweight was tested by USADA on 27 separate occasions.

    As the new year begins, Dillashaw looks to earn another bantamweight title shot, while Costa is looking to get back on track in the middleweight conversation.

    What are your predictions for TJ Dillashaw and Paulo Costa in 2022?

  • Manager Insists Paulo Costa Is Remaining At MW Despite White’s Claim

    Paulo Costa’s manager insists that “Borrachinha” is staying put in the middleweight division.

    It was unclear if Costa could handle the weight at 205 and make it all five rounds against Vettori. As commentator Michael Bisping mentioned early in round one, ā€œIā€™m tellin’ ya, Paulo Costaā€™s fading alreadyā€¦ā€ Dana White echoed these comments in the post-fight show. However, “Borrachinha” hung around after everything “The Italian Dream” unleashed.

    The days leading up to UFC Vegas 41 kept MMA fans confused and Marvin Vettori frustrated as to whether the fight would happen at middleweight or catchweight, but despite the one-sided weight hurdles, both men put on an outstanding battle, throwing heavy attacks until the final bell. The pre-fight tension certainly let everyone know these two meant business, and it was an exciting matchup to see.

    Photo Credit: MMA Fighting

    After Costa failed to make weight for a middleweight fightā€”moving the fight from 185 to landing at 205 poundsā€”and did not take home the victory against Vettori, Dana White made the call to move him to light heavyweight.

    ā€œHeā€™s a light heavyweight,ā€ said White. ā€œI mean, you guys saw him tonight. Heā€™s massive.”

    Costa’s Manager Claims Costa Will Remain At Middleweight

    Despite White’s insistence that Costa move to 205 permanently, Costaā€™s manager, Wallid Ismail, remains determined to see his fighter become a champion at middleweight and claims White’s notion of Costa moving up a weight class has changed since the post-fight conference.Ā Ā 

    ā€œThe UFC is not the biggest fighting company in the world by chance,ā€ Ismail told Sherdog.com. ā€œThey know that ā€˜Borrachinhaā€™ was injured and that’s why he had problems with his weight. There is no doubt his next fight will take place in the middleweight division.ā€

    So why was it difficult for Costa to make weight? He initially kept the MMA world in the dark about why he could not hit the 185lb mark. It was only during the post-fight press conference that Costa informed us about his weight-cut journey, in which he reported he ā€œneeded to stop some weeks in trainingā€ due to an injury to his left bicep.

    Of course, Vettori shunned the excuse, claiming this explanation didn’t make any sense and that he didn’t buy Costa’s explanation.

    Either way, Costa, now 13-2-0, is headed into a new UFC journey after his loss to Marvin Vettori, 18-5-1, during UFC Vegas 41 on October 23, moving down to #5 in the UFC middleweight rankings.

    We now anticipate what comes next for “Borrachinha” and whether or not he will indeed remain in the middleweight division.

    Do you think Paulo Costa should compete at middleweight or light heavyweight moving forward?