What’s Next for Paulo Costa After His Vintage Performance?
Paulo Costa turned back the clock last Saturday at UFC 319 after he put together a masterpiece performance against the dangerous striker Roman Kopylov. He was able to mix up his strikes well and showcased some of the most dangerous body and leg kicks. This looked like the Costa before he fought Israel Adesanya, and that version is a scary force in the Middleweight Division. He appears extremely motivated to work his way up the rankings and earn a fight with longtime rival Khamzat Chimaev. I will break down two potential upcoming matchups that make the most sense and how each contest could play out.
Paulo Costa vs. Israel Adesanya II
The first time these two fighters met was in 2020 for the Middleweight Championship. Costa came into the fight riding an undefeated 13-0 record and looked like the man who would be able to pressure Izzy and take his belt. However, ‘The Last Stylebender’ picked Costa apart with brutal leg kicks and systematically dissected him on the feet before eventually knocking him out with a counter right hand. The first fight was not competitive in the slightest, but these two are completely different fighters. Israel Adesanya is on a three-fight losing streak, and in his last fight, he looked more like the Izzy of old before getting caught and knocked out. He was always an active champion, and those battles may have finally caught up to him. A huge part of Izzy’s success was that if you pressured him, you could get to him, but he had a chin to take whatever shot you threw at him before being able to evade and get back into space. If his chin is a problem now, Costa will take advantage, as he will be in his face from the jump. I think if Costa can effectively work the head, body, and legs like he did against Kopylov, he will be able to get his revenge on Adesanya.
Paulo Costa vs. Anthony Hernandez
This is an intriguing matchup because it will showcase how good Costa’s wrestling defense truly is. Anthony Hernandez is one of the best wrestlers and grapplers in the UFC. His cardio and constant takedown attempts make him a problem for anyone in the Middleweight Division. If Costa can do something very few have been able to and keep the fight on his feet, he will be able to break ‘Fluffy’ down and most likely knock him out. If he beats someone with the wrestling background that Hernandez has, it will only push the narrative for a potential matchup down the line between Costa and Chimaev. Fans believe Chimaev will be able to outgrapple and dominate Costa on the ground, but a win over Hernandez will show the fans that this fight would be a lot closer than they originally thought.
Paulo Costa is a big-time draw with the UFC, and his winning and staying at the top of the rankings is good for business. Pushing him even further up with some of these potential matchups could give a rejuvenation to the Middleweight Division. I think there are a lot of interesting opportunities that could come Costa’s way shortly, and I’m excited to see how he fares in each one. Whichever way the UFC decides to go in regards to Costa’s future, you're going to want to tune in to everything ‘The Eraser’ steps foot inside the octagon.
