Joe Rogan recalls possible ‘psychological breakdown’ of UFC monster Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa is widely regarded as one of the funniest UFC fighters, known for his meme-filled tweets and online antics. Despite his current comedic persona, Costa once carried a menacing aura that both fans, and Joe Rogan nostalgically remembered it. Fans often miss that primal version of Costa, whose intimidating presence spoke louder than any tweet or Instagram post ever could.

In earlier years, Costa embodied raw aggression and intensity, leaving a trail of destruction that made him a terrifying middleweight. Now, in his last five bouts, the Brazilian has won only once, showing an imminent sign of downfall. Rogan, who has always been a huge fan of Costa and his physicality, shared his opinion about the fighter’s form. 

As Rogan mentioned, Costa has an incredible physique for a MMA fighter as he looks like a bodybuilder. Standing at 6’1″ with shredded abs, broad shoulders, and explosive power, fans admire the aesthetics and his intimidating fight style. In his early years in the UFC, the fighter went on an impressive TKO streak before he met Yoel Romero. 

In a brutal three-round war, Paulo Costa overwhelmed Romero with relentless pressure, powerful combinations, and fearless aggression. Costa’s volume striking and forward movement forced Romero on the back foot, neutralizing his explosiveness. Despite Romero’s moments of brilliance, Costa’s conditioning and output proved superior.

The Brazilian’s dominance earned him a unanimous decision in one of UFC’s wildest fights. Both fighters won Fight of Night bonus awards, and Costa also earned the opportunity to fight Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title. It was Izzy’s second-ever title defense, and fans had high expectations from Costa, given his previous performance. However, the reality was extremely different.

Paula Costa got destroyed by Israel Adesanya

At UFC 253, Paulo Costa fought Israel Adesanya for the middleweight championship. Adesanya put on a striking masterclass against Costa, completely dismantling the Brazilian with precision, movement, and brutal leg kicks. From the opening bell, Adesanya controlled distance, picking Costa apart while evading return fire effortlessly. Costa’s lack of urgency and inability to adapt left him exposed.

In the second round, Adesanya dropped him with a head kick and finished the fight with ground-and-pound. It was a one-sided performance that solidified Adesanya’s dominance and exposed Costa’s limitations at the elite level. After the fight was stopped, Izzy further humiliated the Brazilian by humping on his back. In an interview, the fighter shared details of what went down during the title clash.

After losing to Adesanya, Paulo Costa’s mystique faded, and questions arose about his focus, discipline, and commitment to fighting. He blamed the loss on drinking wine before the fight, a bizarre excuse that led to fan backlash and ridicule online. Frequent pullouts, weight issues, and erratic social media behavior further distanced Costa from title contention and damaged his professional reputation badly.

However, during these years, Costa developed his English, and started connecting with his fans more often. This opened up a new and funny side of him to the MMA community. Nevertheless, fans are still eager to see him bounce back with a huge win.

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