"Sign up this kid" - Paulo Costa approves after Nelk bodyguard submits top UFC lightweight

Many fans and fighters alike are having a lot of fun with Justin Gaethje's recent encounter with a bodyguard, and Paulo Costa is the most recent to add to the jokes.

Gaethje, who is the UFC's #2 ranked lightweight contender, was caught on video recently 'wrestling' a bodyguard, which surprisingly ended with a tapout from the BMF champion. The unnamed bodyguard has since gone viral for the submission and is reportedly associated with popular YouTube group Nelk Boys.

Costa quote tweeted a post of the video with the caption:

"Sign up this kid 42 yrld asap agains Islam 10k+10"

The original video — that was posted on TikTok by user 'MMA Wizards' — shows Gaethje playfully wrestling the bodyguard until getting caught in a kimura. The context of what led up to this encounter has not been released.

However, Costa was not the first to suggest that the UFC should sign the Nelk Boys affiliate for 'defeating' Gaethje. Like Costa, many jokingly suggested that the bodyguard should be the next opponent of Islam Makhachev, since Gaethje is currently on the shortlist for the next UFC lightweight championship fight.

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Who will Justin Gaethje fight next?

Justin Gaethje has made it clear that he will not fight anyone other than the UFC lightweight champion in his next outing.

Gaethje, 34, made it clear in a recent interview with ESPN that he feels he has done everything required for his third UFC title shot even if he is not Islam Makhachev's next opponent. In his last two fights, Gaethje has impressively beaten Dustin Poirier and Rafael Fiziev.

If the UFC chooses Charles Oliveira to rematch Makhachev next, that leaves few other options for Gaethje than to wait. Gaethje also turned down a fan-friendly potential matchup with Max Holloway for the BMF belt, claiming he likes the Hawaiian too much to hurt him.