UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya think that his rival top contender Paulo Costa will soon get caught by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
Paulo Costa sports a perfect 13-0 record as a professional and has established himself as top contender in the UFC Middleweight division. Last August he took on Yoel Romero beating him by a close decision. He was scheduled to fight Adesanya for the title next, but unfortunately he sustained a bicep injury. This forced Costa to withdraw from the bout, making way for Romero to fight Adesanya at UFC 248 instead.
Despite the unfortunate injury, Costa will be in attendance for UFC 248 this weekend, watching Adesanya and Romero going against each other in the main event.
During a media day interview for UFC 248, Adesanya was asked if he plans to callout Costa if he beats Romero. Adesanya answered hesitantly, reminding that he already called the Brazilian out. He also threw a jab at his Brazilian rival, suggesting that Costa will have issues with USADA in the future.
“I called him (out) after the last fight, but then – come on, man,” Adesanya told MMAJunkie.com. “I’m going to pop that (expletive) before USADA does, I swear to God. I want to be the first one to do it.
“He’s next in line, but I might not give him any mind (during my post-fight interview). I’ve already done that in Melbourne. The promo is already there, if you will. If you try something stupid, I’ll pop him again.”
Paulo Costa has been suspended by USADA in the past. He served a 6 month suspension for using an IV to rehydrate, which is not allowed under USADA rule. It’s worth mentioning that Costa has never tested positive for a banned substance. Many in the MMA community, including Adesanya, are still suspicious of Costa’s impressively muscular physique.
This article first appeared on CLOSEDGUARDMEDIA.com on 5th March, 2020.
Discussion about this post