Nigerian Kiwi Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) star, Israel Adesanya (based in New Zealand) recently started training ahead of his next fight against Brazilian star, Paulo Costa. This is a top fight between the two who are undefeated in the UFC.
In Melbourne, Australia February last year, Adesanya slammed another Brazilian great fighter, Anderson Silva in UFC 234’s – a major tussle.
Within 24 months, Adesanya became the undisputed UFC middleweight champion after trumping Australian star, Robert Whittaker, in Melbourne last October.
Costa’s coach predicted the fight would be “the greatest middleweight title fight in history,” but obviously touted his boy as the likely winner.
Thereafter, he defeated Cuban fighter, Yoel Romero at UFC 248 in March this year – a lack lustre fight of the decade according to spectators. Only 88 strikes were recorded from the two fighters in their ‘dull’ five-round contest.
The next fight seems promising as both dogged fighters have a good dislike for each other.
The fight may be without the scintillating effects of spectators, crowds and supporters as social distancing might be imperative due to the Covid-19 pandemic the world is grappling with.
For viewers, it’s not IT but for Adesanya: “I can adjust to it because I have had a few street fights in my time. It is just going to be really intimate.”
His Brazilian opponent is optimistic fighting the Nigerian fighter as he said he was ashamed to watch the fight between Adesanya and Yoel Romero.
Costa was particularly unimpressed with Adesanya’s performance in UFC 248, where he beat Cuban fighter, Yoel Romero. He said: “Adesanya is nothing. Adesanya is the most shameful champion I have ever seen. He just runs. He’s nothing. He’s scared”.
Costa promised to make Adesanya cry like a baby by hitting very badly and slapping his face.
Adesanya replied Costa: “This will probably be one of my faster knockouts.” (Costa’s) over confident. He’s already playing into my hand in the sense that he really thinks he’s going to walk through everything I throw. I don’t like his face, so I’m going to punch it, a lot. And he’s going to run into it with all that confidence, and he’s going to fall down. He thinks he’s invincible. I know I’m not”.
