Credit:Joao Baptista
Credit:Joao Baptista
Credit:Joao Baptista
After the controversy that ensued when he faced Marvin
Vettori one division above their contracted agreement at UFC
Fight Night 196 last October, Paulo Costa
was informed by Dana White that his next promotional appearance
would be in the light heavyweight division.
However, according to Costa’s manager, Wallid
Ismail, the UFC president has since changed his mind.
“The UFC is not the biggest fighting company in the world by
chance,” Ismail told Sherdog.com. “They know that ‘Borrachinha’ was
injured and that’s why he had problems with his weight. There is no
doubt his next fight will take place in the middleweight
division.”
Ismail says Costa is currently waiting for the UFC’s call to decide
when the former middleweight title challenger will return.
“We will fight whoever the UFC decides. I keep believing that
‘Borrachinha’ will be the champion,” Ismail said. “He just has to
train right. His biggest problem is that he trains too much. If he
trains correctly, I have no doubt no one in that division can beat
him.”
Ismail also denied the rumors that Priscila
Cachoeira might be released by the UFC following the
controversial eye-gouging incident that occurred during her loss to
Gillian
Robertson at UFC 269. Cachoeira was criticized for what
appeared to be an eye poke during an attempt to escape what turned
out to be a fight-ending rear-naked choke from Robertson in the
first round.
“It was cowardice from the press and everyone who attacked her. She
didn’t put her finger in the opponent’s eye on purpose,” Ismail
said. “She just tried to push her away in the heat of the fight.
People who work in the UFC come from the fighting business, they
know what I mean. We are already talking about her next fight and
Priscila will return to win column.”