Paulo Costa Calls Out ‘Fake Champ’ Israel Adesanya

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Despite the MMA world heaping praise on the co-main event of UFC 236, No. 7- ranked middleweight Paulo Costa was not impressed by Israel Adesanya’s performance.

“Borrachinha” wasted little time calling out the new interim middleweight champion as he took to Instagram to voice his concern for the division.

“Really this is the interim (fake) champ? Hahah. No doubt this weight division has already been better than this (expletive). Enjoy this while you can man, I really hope that you take the real belt one day to meet me. Note: And I’m not the Gastelum.”

Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum put on one heck of a show at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday night. Both fighters surely left a piece of themselves in the Octagon. For their efforts, both men earned ‘Fight Of The Night’ honors and the accompanying $50,000 that goes with it, as did the gentlemen involved in the main event.

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As UFC President Dana White specified at the post-fight press conference, Adesanya will now meet middleweight champ Robert Whittaker in a unification bout later this year in Australia.

Costa was scheduled to fight Yoel Romero at UFC on ESPN 3, however, he was pulled from the card because he is having issues with the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) due to medication for his stomach.

Both Adesanya (17-0) and Costa (12-0) are unbeaten in their professional careers. If both keep winning, it is probable they will meet in the Octagon one day soon.