Undefeated Brazilian Paulo Costa will be in Melbourne for UFC 243 and expects to be next in line for whoever walks away the undisputed middleweight champion.
Currently ranked number 2 in the middleweight rankings, behind interim champion Israel Adesanya, Costa has stated that he will be cageside at the event and will fight the winner.
“Yes, I am going to Melbourne,” Costa said in an interview with BJPenn.com.
“Dana White is sending me there and said I get the next title shot. I fight the winner of Whittaker-Adesanya.”
Costa put on an impressive performance last month against Yoel Romero at UFC 241, winning by unanimous decision and cementing himself as the next title challenger after Rob Whittaker and Israel Adesanya unify the middleweight strap in Melbourne at UFC 243.
Undefeated in 13 fights, the contest against Romero was the first time one of Costa’s fights had seen the judges’ scorecards.
Costa has made it clear that he believes Whittaker will win the fight but is eager to fight Adesanya to put an end to an ongoing feud between the two.
“I can beat both. I think Adesanya is a fake champion. He hasn’t fought anyone tough,” Costa said.
“He is a skinny clown. I have a personal problem with him,
“If he beats Whittaker, which I don’t think, I’m going to kill him. He doesn’t stand a chance against me.
“As for Whittaker, he is good, tough guy. He is not as strong as Yoel, so I can take him.
“He is like Yoel with less power, so I can beat both of them. I really want Adesanya, though.”
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