Paulo Costa Hopes To Win Middleweight, Light Heavyweight Belts

UFC middleweight contender Paulo Costa plans on winning belts in multiple divisions.

The undefeated Brazilian is expected to challenge current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya for the title next. If he is able to deliver on his promise of defeating Adesanya, it doesn’t look like he will be sticking around at 185 for too long.

After all, Costa is one of the bigger middleweights and so, the weight cut is never easy. That is why he plans on moving up to light heavyweight and potentially becoming a two-division champion.

“I believe I can take two belts, middleweight and light heavyweight,” Costa told MMA Junkie. “I believe that. I’m very big, and it’s a little difficult to make 185, so I think I can take two belts to my country after my next fight.

“My plan is to move to light heavyweight very soon, quickly after my next fight if it’s possible. It depends who, if light heavyweight will have a great name like Jon Jones or not, it depends, but I’m not scared to fight against big guys.”

Adesanya has notably been going back-and-forth with Jones for over a year but has always maintained that he planned on cleaning out the middleweight division first before facing the light heavyweight king. For Costa, that was nothing more than a cowardly move especially after “The Last Stylebender” called “Bones” out.

Him on the other hand? He would move up right away.

“Like the skinny guy Adesanya, he calls Jon Jones out, but when Jon Jones accepts, he says, ‘No I need two years to train,’ … so it’s not good,” Costa added. “Nobody can call something and when his challenge (is) accepted, he says, ‘No, not now.’ This is shameful (expletive). I won’t be that.

“I’m ready, if I want to fight in light heavyweight right now, I can do that. So I believe after this fight, I will move to the next step, on the next shot.”

Do you think Costa will beat Adesanya and end up potentially facing Jones?