Midnight Mania! Step Aside ‘Stylebender,’ Costa True Threat to Jon Jones
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a top-ranked fighter is already eyeing a second belt before winning the first one. It’s a common story that usually ends poorly, but historic trends have not dissuaded Paulo Costa’s confidence. Giant muscles and a perfect professional record do afford a certain amount of hubris, but Costa is ready to jump into the 205-pound fray with remarkable quickness.
“I believe I can take two belts, Middleweight and Light Heavyweight,” Costa told MMA Junkie. “I believe that. I’m very big, and it’s a little difficult to make 185, so I think I can take two belts to my country after my next fight. My plan is to move to light heavyweight very soon, quickly after my next fight if it’s possible. It depends who, if light heavyweight will have a great name like Jon Jones or not, it depends, but I’m not scared to fight against big guys.”
If Israel Adesanya’s plans become reality, Costa will face off with “Stylebender” at some point over Summer on Fight Island. Fighting soon could potentially time out well for Costa to move up into the 205-pound title picture, assuming he were able to hand Adesanya his first loss. Naturally, Costa had to throw a shot at the current Middleweight champion too.
“Like the skinny guy Adesanya, he calls Jon Jones out, but when Jon Jones accepts, he says, ‘No I need two years to train,’ … so it’s not good,” Costa said. “Nobody can call something and when his challenge (is) accepted, he says, ‘No, not now.’ This is shameful (expletive). I won’t be that. I’m ready, if I want to fight in light heavyweight right now, I can do that. So I believe after this fight, I will move to the next step, on the next shot.”
Whether he wins the title or not, Costa eventually moving to Light Heavyweight is to be expected. In his victory over Yoel Romero, it was revealed by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) that Costa regained roughly 15% of his body weight, stepping into the cage at 213.8 lbs.
Insomnia
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A new threat reaches the United States: A massive hornet with mandibles that rip bees to shreds and a stinger so potent that one unfortunate victim likened it to “having red-hot thumbtacks being driven into my flesh.”https://t.co/miU3QLGCF9
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Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/3/21245368/midnight-mania-paulo-costa-middleweight-light-heavyweight-championships-ufc-espn-jon-jones
