Paulo Costa’s manager Wallid Ismail spoke to BJPENN.com to discuss the situation between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa. According to Ismail, the two were offered slots at UFC 251 and UFC 252, both of which were turned down by the Middleweight Champion Adesanya. He said:
He also claimed that UFC is targeting a main event fight between Adesanya and Paulo Costa if Khabib Nurmagomedov and Justin Gaethje don’t face off at UFC 253. Owing to Nurmagomedov’s father’s recent passing, it’s highly possible that his return could be delayed.
Is Paulo Costa the biggest threat in the Middleweight division?
Paulo Costa was supposed to be Israel Adesanya’s first title defense following UFC 243 last October. However, his injury put him out of action and the Middleweight Champion didn’t want to wait, choosing to face Yoel Romero at UFC 248 instead.
Unfortunately, what Adesanya hoped would be a legacy fight turned out to be a forgettable one despite a win. He played it safe against a very dangerous Yoel Romero while the Cuban did little to convince anyone that he was deserving of another title shot.
Dana White expressed regret over not waiting for Paulo Costa, stating that in hindsight, he probably would have done that. Either way, there’s no doubt that Paulo Costa will be a far more exciting opponent for Israel Adesanya.
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