Paulo Costa was impressive in his move up to light heavyweight.
| Getty/UFC
Two-time “Coach of the Year” honoree Rafael
Cordeiro was impressed by Paulo
Costa´s performance at UFC
327.
According to
Kings MMA founder, Costa should stay in the light heavyweight
division following his third-round stoppage of the previously
undefeated Azamat
Murzakanov this past Saturday at the Kaseya Center in
Miami.
Advertisement
“‘Borrachinha’ is a guy that, love him or hate him, you will like
to see his fights. And give me three names of the division that
sell fights like him,” Cordeiro told Sherdog.com.
Based on his performance last Saturday, where he knocked out
Murzakanov with a head kick in the third round, the former Chute
Boxer believes that Costa would also beat Jiri
Prochazka if he was fighting for the interim title. Prochazka
suffered a first-round knockout loss to Carlos
Ulberg in clash for the vacant light heavyweight strap at UFC
327. However, Ulberg could be sidelined for quite some time after
suffering an apparent knee injury in the bout.
“I see him [being competitive] with any of those Top 5 of the
division. To tell you the truth, considering that Ulberg will be
out for a long time due to his knee, if UFC makes a interim title
between ‘Borrachinha ‘and Jiri, I believe Costa would knock him
out.”
The Brazilian coach also criticized Prochazka’s attitude against
Ulberg. “BJP” claimed he showed mercy to Ulberg after the City
Kickboxing star was injured early in their fight.
„I´ll never forget what Master Rudimar always told us. If you are
facing a weaker opponent, finish him as fast as possible so the
people dont see his level,” Cordeiro said. “And it fits perfectly
in this case when the oponent had a physical problem.”
Updates on Tyson, New Class Offering
Cordeiro also talked about the Mike Tyson exhibition fight with
Floyd
Mayweather initially scheduled for April 25.
“It should be an exhibition fight. But Mike had a home accident, He
tripped and fell and was in a cast lately. He was planning to make
his camp in Florida but because of that accident I think the fight
will be postponed,” Cordeiro said. “Unfortunately I couldn’t do
this camp with him because of my gym. Last time I stayed seven
months with him in Vegas, but I could return. In Florida
unfortunately not, but I told him to count on me with anything he
needs.”
Cordeiro also shared details of a new mentoring class he has just
started.
“It´s been 40 years of martial arts and I’m [sharing that
experience of] all we passed through,” he said. “The good and bad.
All the process needed to make a champion, conquer a champion and
understand a champion. To build a fighter from the beginning and be
able to deal with anyone from a white belt to a black belt or a
world champion. We will make live classes in English showing what
will work and what will not work and not let them commit the same
mistakes we did in the past.”