MMA
Paulo Costa blasts Israel Adesanya's win over Yoel Romero: 'Adesanya is the most shameful champion I have seen ever'
Paulo Costa was so livid watching the main event between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero at UFC 248 that he hopped the rail cageside, only to be escorted away from the action — or lack thereof.
Following Adesanya's lackluster unanimous decision over Romero on Saturday night, Costa didn't hesitate ripping the UFC middleweight champion backstage at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Remember, Costa was supposed to fight Adesanya, but he suffered a biceps injury. Adesanya then called out Romero for a fight that fizzled as a dud. Costa was more than willing to let "The Last Stylebender" know all about it.
"Horrible fight," Costa said during the postfight press conference. "It was a shame to watch that fight. Adesanya is nothing. Adesanya is the most shameful champion I have seen ever. He just runs. He's nothing. He's scared. He doesn't deserve talk about him, but that fight was s—.
"I will make him cry," he continued. "I will hit him very badly and he will cry like a baby."
Costa added: "The fact is, Adesanya can't handle (Romero), and Adesanya can't handle against powerful guys like Romero, Jon Jones or me. That's why he's afraid to fight."
After his victory — and after Costa was removed from the cageside area — Adesanya called out the Brazilian fighter knowing that they'll cross paths in what's likely to be an explosive, all-action fight.
Costa can already claim that he was capable of doing something that Adesanya didn't — handle Romero in a more dominating manner in his own unanimous decision over the Cuban.
Costa said that he'd like to fight Adesanya during International Fight Week in July. UFC president Dana White agrees that an Adesanya-Costa fight would be a thriller, so let's see how quickly it can be made.
