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#4. Paulo Costa vs. Johnny Walker
Another opponent in the light heavyweight division that would make sense for Paulo Costa is Johnny Walker. Since making his UFC debut, Walker has been one of the most entertaining fighters in the division and a fan favorite.
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Walker's unorthodox striking could problem Costa if he's not prepared. Walker could take a similar approach to what Israel Adesanya had when he fought Costa. Even though Walker has been up-and-down with his performances, he's still the No.10-ranked light heavyweight and a tough test for Costa. It would be interesting to see whether Costa has learned from past mistakes against Adesanya and made improvements.
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If Paulo Costa is looking to work his way up the light heavyweight ranks, then fighting Walker would be ideal. A win over Walker would surely put Costa in the top ten and perhaps set up a fight with somebody higher up the ladder.
#3. Paulo Costa vs. Dominick Reyes
A great opponent for Paulo Costa at light heavyweight is former title challenger Dominick Reyes. It would make sense if the UFC booked a Costa-Reyes fight because both are on a losing streak. Costa is currently on a two-fight skid, with defeats against Marvin Vettori and UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Reyes, on the other hand, has now lost three in a row. The Mexican-American has not looked the same since his loss to then-light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. He picked up back-to-back defeats against reigning light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka.
It's important to note that many thought Reyes should have won the decision against Jon Jones. In the losses that followed, Reyes was defeated by Blachowicz for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship and then lost to No.2-ranked Jiri Prochazka.
Reyes is another striker in the division who would make for an entertaining bout with Costa. An area that Costa could take advantage of is Reyes' durability. If his bout with Vettori is any indicator, Costa could maintain the same pace for five full rounds. If Costa vs. Reyes is a main-event bout, the Brazilian may have the advantage.
