In less than two years, Israel Adesanya who was crowned the undisputed UFC middleweight champion after trumping Australian star, Robert Whittaker, in Melbourne last October is set to fight with Brazilian Paulo Costa most likely in an empty stands due to the Coronavirus outbreak as both fighters are undefeated in the UFC.
Nigerian-born New Zealand-based Kiwi UFC star, Israel Adesanya has begun training ahead of his next fight against the Brazilian star following series of public spats and dislike for one another.
Spectators are currently not permitted at UFC events since the outbreak of COVID-19, and there is no possibility of seeing screaming crowds surrounding the Octagon for several months although Adesanya has refused to bulge on that: “I can adjust to it because I have had a few street fights in my time,” Adesanya told nzherald.c.nz. “It is just going to be really intimate.”
The Brazilian opponent, Paulo Costa was particularly unimpressed with Adesanya’s performance in UFC 248, where he beat Cuban fighter, Yoel Romero, “I was ashamed to watch that fight,” Costa told reporters. “Adesanya is nothing. Adesanya is the most shameful champion I have ever seen. He just runs. He’s nothing. He’s scared”.
“I will make him cry. I will hit him very badly. And he will cry like a baby. I will slap his face”, Costa boasted.
Remarkably, Adesanya beat Brazilian legendary fighter, Anderson Silva in UFC 234’s main event in Melbourne In February last year.
