Paulo Costa Vows Bout With Israel Adesanya Will be “Savage”

MMA history is replete with examples of rivals shaking hands and squashing their issues after they battle in the cage. But, according to Paulo Costa, none of that will happen when he fights middleweight champ Israel Adesanya at UFC 253.

Costa says fight will be “savage”

Adesanya and Costa have been on a collision course for a while, not only because both men have done nothing but win in the UFC, but because they’ve also been feuding for months.

For example, Adesanya has taken pokes at the length of Costa’s arms and referred to him as a tyrannosaurus rex. The hulking middleweight, meanwhile, has blasted the performance of Adesanya several times and argued the dynamic striker’s too small. 

Well, as noted above, many, many times fighters who are apparently bitter rivals, put their issues aside after the fight. But, while talking to MMA Junkie recently, Costa said that won’t happen on September 19th.

“Even after I knock him out, I will not shake his hand,” Costa said. “It will be wild. It will be savage. … I believe in the second round (I will knock him out) because he will run a lot in the first round.”

Now, some folks will also note that we’ve heard similar rhetoric before from fighters, and then, sure enough, all is well after the fight. So, that could happen here too. But, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t.

Costa talks strategy for beating Adesanya

In Adesanya, Costa will face one of the most talented strikers on the UFC roster, who, like himself, has yet to lose a MMA fight. Costa, however, is extremely confident he has the tools, strategy and power to end Adesanya’s reign.

“I will not be staying and waiting for him,” Costa said. “I know he can run a lot, and that’s what he wants to do, what he usually does.

I won’t wait like Romero did. I will hunt him inside the cage and close the distance and land my shots to his body and his face. …

Don’t go so fast like Whittaker and don’t go slow like Romero. Make a balance. I think I am very different from both guys because I can pressure him every minute for the 25 minutes.

“I can keep the pressure very, very aggressive against him. I can push him at all times, and I have a lot of power in my hands, on my bones in my hands and kicks.

Against him, I just need one shot to finish the fight.”

It’s a fascinating fight on many levels, no question. Whose 0 will go?