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Israel Adesanya has frequently caught the ire of his contemporaries and other MMA bigwigs.
One instance that stands out is when Paulo Costa's manager Wallid Ismail took shots at the current UFC middleweight champion. The Brazilian was unhappy at the way Adesanya conducted himself upon his triumph over 'Borrachinha'.
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After Israel Adesanya sent the Brazilian phenom sprawling on the canvas at UFC 253, he was seen 'humping' him. That was something that did not sit well with Costa's manager.
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Addressing Israel Adesanya's transgressions ahead of his UFC 263 clash against Marvin Vettori, Wallid Ismail controversially slammed the Nigerian-New Zealander for his behavior.
"After the absurd [actions] he [took towards] Paulo Costa in the end of their fight, there is no way I can cheer for that guy. Adesanya has homosexual instincts and he should be studied by science,” exclaimed Wallid Ismail.
How did Paulo Costa fare against Israel Adesanya?
The clash between Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya was touted as the biggest event in the UFC middleweight scene at the time. While 'The Last Stylebender' understood the assignment and came up big, Costa faltered and put on a rather dull show.
The champ made short work of Costa and recorded a TKO in Round 2 before the clock hit the three minute mark. The triumph marked his second defense of the middleweight gold.
In addition to the middleweight strap hanging in the balance, both fighters went into the fight with spotless records. However, the Brazilian emerged from the fight with a blemish that marked the only loss of his career to date.
Israel Adesanya absolutely butchered Costa's lead leg. 'Borrachinha', on the other hand, put forth a rather forgettable performance. Apart from a few kicks to Adesanya's midsection, nothing truly stood out.
Adesanya walked into this fight with a point to prove and a chip on his shoulder. Following a lackluster performance against Yoel Romero at UFC 248 back in March 2020, Adesanya had promised to prove his mettle against an adept fighter like Paulo Costa. And prove it he did.
