Israel Adesanya punches Paulo Costa in their middleweight championship bout during UFC 253. Photo / Getty
Israel Adesanya punches Paulo Costa in their middleweight championship bout during UFC 253. Photo / Getty
Kiwi middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has been labelled 'human trash' by his opponent Paulo Costa following an obscene gesture in his UFC 253 TKO victory on Sunday.
Adesanya completely dominated his previously unbeaten opponent before catching him with a left hook to the side of the head to begin the end of proceedings.
He mounted a man he'd described as "one of those dogs that barks behind the fence" in the lead-up to their fight and began raining down heavy shots.
After referee Jason Herzog intervened to wave off the fight, Adesanya appeared to grab Costa by the back and thrusted his hips forward aggressively.
Costa reacted to Adesanya's actions in a social media post.
"I come here to talk about the actions that the human trash did after our fight," Costa said during a video posted to his Instagram. "I didn't see when I was there [in] the cage but I saw now. I disapprove 100 percent. To me, this is [personal] now. Nobody will stop me. Nobody can stop me."
Costa requested a rematch, even suggesting that he was injured prior to the fight.
"I want my rematch. You know I am waiting for you. Something happened before the fight, I'm not [making] excuses here to my people, to my fans but I will be 100 percent to fight him and to make him pay. That's my word. Save my words."
However, Costa is unlikely to get a rematch because of how one-sided the fight was and the long list of fighters keen to take Adesanya's belt off him.
It was a masterclass from the 20-0 Adesanya against a hulk who was supposed to be his biggest challenge in the division.
From the outset Adesanya kept the challenger at a distance and picked him apart with constant kicks landing clean on Costa's lead leg. At the end of the opening round the outside of Costa's left leg was bright red.
As the second round got underway, Adesanya went straight back to work on the leg with Costa simply unable to close the gap and get at the champ.
A high left kick landed on the temple of Costa and cut him open before an Adesanya left hook grazed Costa's head and dropped him to the canvas before ground and pound brought the bout to an end.
"I still have to watch it again, little bit sloppy, but I'm a dog and I do what I do," Adesanya said.
"I still don't like him. I don't know him personally, I don't wish he dies or anything, he's alive, I let him be alive.
"This is the game we play, this is violence and I told you guys that it was going to be violent and I said it, it's going to be violent and it's going to end fast and that's what I did."
It makes it four UFC title wins for Adesanya, moving him into second all-time, and also second all-time on the longest UFC win streaks with nine.
"The best, and most sophisticated striker in the sport!! Holy f*** that was amazing!! Congrats to the champ!!" UFC commentator Joe Rogan wrote.
Israel Adesanya punches Paulo Costa in their middleweight championship bout during UFC 253. Photo / Getty
Adesanya will now await the winner of an October 24 showdown between Aussie Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier.
The champ revealed after the fight he had messaged Cannonier telling him to take care of business against the former champ because he wanted to fight him next, not Whittaker.
"I already DM'd Jared Cannonier. He's a hell of a dude. I love his energy. He's a beautiful man," Adesanya said. "I said you destroy Robert Whittaker and you're next.
"He's the one I want to fight next. He deserves it. If he beats Robert Whittaker handily and dominates him, he's next."
