Paulo Costa has backtracked on a potential fight with Jake Paul after the YouTube star labelled his recent win a "glorified street fight".
Costa, 31, picked up his first win in over three years last weekend by outpointing Luke Rockhold at UFC 278. The No.6 ranked middleweight has just one fight left on his UFC contract and has hinted at a move to boxing if he is unable to negotiate a new deal for better money with the promotion.
Paul was not impressed by Costa's recent win, tweeting during the fight: "Bruhhhh lol Rockc*** vs Paulo is embarrassing. This a glorified street fight. Both [easy] money." Moments after his win, Costa welcomed a fight with Paul by telling reporters: "Jake Paul is very welcome to send an offer and we can do this boxing fight. I don’t know if he wants this blood. I think he wants to fight wrestlers or something like that."
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But Costa has now backtracked on his call out of Paul, stating on The MMA Hour : "Jake Paul has been doing great things. He was just a YouTuber, he came into the fight business and has done great. It's a big difference to fight wrestlers from MMA and strikers from MMA, and in my opinion he has avoided these guys [strikers]. He's very smart, he knows to call out guys that he is 100 per cent he can convinced he can beat, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
"Logan Paul is bigger and is more humble than him, he's a very different guy and I love Logan Paul. I understand Jake is doing a great job and of course I'd like to get an easy money with him, but I have a better challenge for him. Mike Perry, he's almost the same weight class. Mike Perry is a savage if Jake wants a real fight."
Costa and Paul both compete around the same weight, but Paul's two previous opponents both fought in the weight class below Costa during their time in the UFC. Paul revealed his next fight will take place on October 6 at 185lb against a professional boxer, ruling out any chance of it being against Costa.
With just one fight left on his UFC deal, Costa is hopeful of competing in December or January. When asked who Costa wants to face in the final fight of his contact, he replied: " If I were to choose, it would be the current champion [Israel] Adesanya, but let’s see. There are many names out there. What’s up Derek Brunson, you p***y. I don’t know I think he wouldn’t accept it.”
