Israel Adesanya is refusing to let Paulo Costa off the hook for his pre-fight jibes by showing his latest UFC victim zero respect with series of tweets.
Undefeated Adesanya retained his middleweight title in dominant fashion with a second-round TKO win against Costa on Fight Island, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday.
The pair exchanged barbs in the build-up to their UFC 253 headliner, with Costa pulling out a white belt and tossing it at Adesanya at the stardeown as a way of mocking the Nigerian-born Kiwi’s perceived lack of grappling skills.
The Brazilian had also shared a mock-up image of himself of himself holding the decapitated head of his rival.
Costa, who suffered his first defeat, was left to rue his provocative gesture after being clinically dispatched by Adesanya, who rubbed salt into the wounds by “air humping” the Brazilian as he lay crumpled on the canvas.
That last move by Adesanya on Costa though ? #Ufc253pic.twitter.com/o09PudUyI0
Given the lack of respect shown by Costa, Adesanya believes his rival had been let off lightly.
He tweeted: “Imagine if I was taunting as much as Costa after all that shit he was talking… The amount of shit I would cop from the internets hahaha.
“I’m still in the air, I ain’t even started yet. He had all the preflight. I’m gonna go in on his ass… oh wait.”
Imagine if I was taunting as much as Costa after all that shit he was talking…The amount of shit I would cop from the internets hahaha.I’m still in the air, I ain’t even started yet.He had all the preflight memes.I’m gonna go in on his ass…oh wait ???
He also mocked Costa by sharing a series of images of him pounding his grounded opponent with his fists, captioned: “Mounted by a white belt.”
Mounted by a white beltch ? #Osspic.twitter.com/oKez1MGz8s
Adesanya’s taunts followed on from his X-rated insult at the end of Saturday’s contest when he shouted from the octagan: “I wrap my d*ck around my waist, that’s a black belt mother*cker.”
His latest colorful antics seemed to be well-received on social media.
One fan wrote: “If Costa rushed in like [Robert]Whittaker and got clipped everyone would say he should have been patient, when he’s patient and gets picked apart and knocked tf out, they say he should Have rushed in.
“Give the respect to Adesanya, absolute master class. Izzy is the best striker on planet.”
Another waded in with, “Outclassed him. Never in doubt. Where are all the haters now.”
Meanwhile, British UFC fighter Darren Till was fulsome in his praise for Adesanya and said he hoped to fight him once he had taken care of Jack Hermansson in December.
Till tweeted: “What a fight by the Champ, he’s some striker. I have got to come back, beat Jack. Beat maybe one or more, or if I beat Jack badly…jump straight in and fight the champ!
What a Fight by the Champ, he’s some striker.I have got to come back, beat Jack.Beat maybe one more,Or if I beat jack badly… jump straight in & fight the champ!I do believe I can outstrike him if I’m faster…I have to work extremely hard now though.More than ever before!
“I do believe I can out strike him if I’m faster…I have to work extremely hard now though. More than ever before!”
