UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya isn’t convinced that Paulo Costa will be fighting drug-free when the pair meet at UFC 253, and even called out the Brazilian to his face before their joint appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
Speaking to Submission Radio, Adesanya (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) revealed his comments to Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) before the pair went on air for their split-screen interview to promote their middleweight title fight on Sept. 26.
“Even before the interview kicked off, when I saw him initially, I asked him a few questions that he couldn’t really give me a straight answer to,” Adesanaya said. “The last time he got tested? … He couldn’t give me a straight answer, put it that way.
“Twice in the last three weeks, I got tested – at night, because they tried to catch me off-guard. So it was the first time they ever tested me at night. So, where’s your T-shirt? I’ve been tested over 30 times, but where’s your T-shirt?”
Adesanya intimated that Costa might not have been subjected to the same level of testing in Brazil that he has faced in New Zealand, but while he’s not confident that his opponent has faced the same level of anti-doping screening, the Kiwi says he’s excited to put a halt to the Brazilian’s momentum inside the cage.
“I’m from Lagos City, Nigeria. I know what it’s like in certain countries where money talks – where if you flash your gun, people act a certain way,” he said. “I know what it’s like. You’ve heard stories about Brazil with people running up to gyms to test people and then they’re not compliant of certain things. I just know what it’s like.
“But I don’t mind. I just like bringing that up because I want it to be known, because I said on record: I’m going to pop him before USADA pops him. So I’m going to beat him. And then, when he gets popped by USADA down the line, I’ll be like, ‘Yup, I still whooped his ass even when he was on steroids.’ That would make a great story.”
Israel Adesanya not convinced by Paulo Costa’s anti-doping schedule, vows to ‘pop him before USADA’
