Marvin Vettori Responds To Rematch Calls From Paulo Costa, Criticizes Him For Weight Issues
UFC middleweight contender, Marvin Vettori appears to have played down the possibility of standing opposite fellow one-time title challenger, Paulo Costa in the immediate future, as well as criticizing the Brazilian’s weight-cut mishap ahead of their November headliner.
Landing a unanimous decision victory over the Belo Horizonte native, Vettori managed to turn in a Fight of the Year contender against Costa in their November main event, which was forced to see a weight change in the days leading up to the bout.
Marvin Vettori returned to the winner’s enclosure with his November victory against Paulo Costa
Speaking with media assembled during his fight week media availability, Costa confirmed that he would not be fighting Vettori at the middleweight limit, as agreed upon, before the pair eventually agreed to terms on a light heavyweight main event on short notice.
Suffering his second consecutive loss, Costa had dropped a second round knockout defeat to common-foe, current middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya in September 2020 on ‘Fight Island’ – snapping his promotional perfect winning spree.
Earlier this week, Costa confirmed that he had instructed UFC officials to pair him in an immediate rematch with Kings MMA staple, Vettori next, as well as insisting he was no longer interested in fighting, unless he stood opposite the Italian again.
“I just said to let Dana White know, I’ll fight him (Marvin Vettori) now,” Paulo Costa told AgFight. “It’s the only fight that interests me. No one else interests me. Unless if it’s for the title but I’m no fool. I’m not stupid to consider (a title fight) now. I want to fight him. He’s the only viable guy that interests me. If it’s not him, I’m not even interested in fighting. I let Dana White know that.”
Responding to Costa’s comments and calls for a rematch, Vettori poked fun at Costa’s weight cut issues ahead of their UFC Apex clash back in November, as well as claiming the Brazilian does not hit hard for a middleweight.
“You (Paulo Costa) was in the cage with me 30 pounds heavier and for real I know a b*tch her name Felicia she hits harder than you @danawhite,” Marvin Vettori tweeted.
Whilst campaigning to serve as the official backup replacement fighter for UFC 271 next weekend ahead of a middleweight championship rematch between Adesanya, and former champion, Robert Whittaker, Vettori has yet to be officially confirmed as an backup fighter.
