Paulo Costa discusses his “personal” fight with Yoel Romero at this weekend’s UFC 241.
Anaheim, CA — It’s been a good while since UFC fans last saw Paulo Costa grace the octagon. The Brazilian middleweight, undefeated at 12-0, last competed in July 2018, when he finished Uriah Hall at UFC 226 via TKO. He returns at UFC 241 this weekend, taking on Yoel Romero.
Since we last saw him, Costa had to deal with a suspension for illegal IV use, and his bout with Romero falling through several times. But the time away has allowed him to clear his head, the fighter told media outlets including Cageside Press on Thursday’s UFC 241 media day.
“I feel [better] than the last time. I feel great. My speed is better, my power is better, my condition, physical, is better,” Costa said. “My mind is fresh now, because in 2017, I did three fights, and my mind was very busy. Now I’m fresh. I don’t have injuries, serious injuries.” While he may have had a few during camp, “now I’m 100%, and I’m ready for the best show for all of you fans on Saturday.”
Romero’s wrestling has been the question constantly lobbed Costa’s way in the build-up to their fight. Asked why that wouldn’t be an issue, Costa answered “because it’s not [just] wrestling, it’s an MMA fight. We have elbows, we have punches, kicks, and I am black belt of jiu-jitsu. And I’ve been training a lot of wrestling.”
Costa brought in some partners specifically to work on his wrestling, leaving him “very confident, if he puts me down, I will stand back up, and knock him out, for sure. I not have a doubt about it.”
Having the fight with Romero re-booked several times, Costa does feel the wait was worth it. “For sure, this is the fight that I’m looking for for a long time. Romero is one of the tough guys of the division. After beating him, I will put one of my own hands on the title. So it’s a very important fight to do,” he said Thursday.
And should his opponent miss weight, Costa says the fight will go forward regardless. “I don’t care if he will make weight or not. He can be 220lbs, I don’t care, I will fight against him if he [makes] weight or not.” Romero, of course, has missed weight for his last two bouts.
If that makes it sound like Costa is taking this personally, he is. “I want to fight him because he talked sh*t about me,” Costa said. “It’s personal for me. And because I’m ready for everybody in the division. I’m ready. I will show who’s the new king of the division.”
Summing it up, he’d go on to add “it’s personal. It’s 100% personal. And because he’s #2, or #1. So I’m very excited for this fight.” Plus, dislike of an opponent motivates him. “Especially when I’m an underdog,” he added. “I will prove for everybody who I am.”
Costa also gave his thoughts on the upcoming UFC 243 title unification bout between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya. “I’d love to see Adesanya [win over] Whittaker, because he talked a lot of sh*t, and I want to fight against him. But I think Whittaker will beat him, because Whittaker is more complete. [Whittaker] has a better ground [game], and Whittaker knows how to hold him on the cage, and has more experience. So I think Whittaker will beat Adesanya.”
Watch the full UFC 241 press scrum with Paulo Costa above!
