For years, Paulo Costa has been tormented by the shadow of UFC 253. That night in Abu Dhabi, Israel Adesanya destroyed him in brutal fashion, delivering a second-round knockout that fans still remember. Now, ‘The Eraser’ has finally broken his silence on the much-anticipated rematch, and he’s made it clear that this time will be different.

Dana White and the UFC are yet to stamp the official seal, but the buzz around Adesanya vs. Costa 2 possibly taking place at UFC 321 is rising by the day. With Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane headlining the event, a middleweight bout between these two will surely light Abu Dhabi on fire.

Speaking on Submission Radio, Paulo Costa revealed he isn’t approaching the fight with any pre-set strategy and will leave the planning until the matchup is finalized. “Fight is always fight. We can fight stand up or maybe on the ground. I didn’t thought about that yet. I didn’t stop to plan anything to make a strategy. When they say, ‘Its that guy?’ I will say, ‘Okay, let’s go,’” Costa explained.

He also stated that this would not be an emotional grudge battle, saying, “No, I will not talk about emotions. I will be cold. I will be cold. Just professional. Let’s go.” As for ‘The Last Stylebender,’ this potential rematch comes at a vital point in his career. The former champion hasn’t had his hand raised since his knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287.

Three consecutive losses since then have raised concerns about his future, but his record remains formidable, with multiple successful title defenses and victories over stars such as Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, and Anderson Silva. So, a convincing victory over Costa might propel him back into title contention.

Paulo Costa, on the other hand, has gained momentum since defeating Roman Kopylov at UFC 318. Ranked 12th in the division, a victory over Adesanya would propel him into the top tier and maybe set up a future fight against new champion Khamzat Chimaev. Whether official confirmation arrives in the coming weeks or not, Costa’s words continue to fuel the buzz. However, it seems like he isn’t the only one who’s in line to face ‘Izzy.’

Another top UFC contender calls out Israel Adesanya

Just as Paulo Costa is trying to rewrite his story against Israel Adesanya, another hungry middleweight has stepped forward to challenge the so-called “washed” former champion. Brendan Allen, who recently returned to the win column at UFC 318, has jumped right into the conversation. While Costa’s past with Adesanya adds drama, Allen symbolizes a new wave of danger: younger, more determined, and with a chip on his shoulder.

Allen wasted little time responding to Adesanya’s recent comments about critics labeling him “washed.” The former champ defiantly said, “People say I’m washed, but they’ve never been in the f—– laundry.” Allen’s response was as blunt as it could be: “Well, let’s see about it. U ready for November, @stylebender?”

Allen, a fighter who has quietly gone 8-2 in his previous 10 fights, has issued an official challenge to ‘The Last Stylebender.’ The timing could not be more intriguing. At #9 in the middleweight rankings, Allen doesn’t yet hold the star power of Costa or Adesanya, but momentum is on his side.

His resume has been boosted by wins over stars such as Marvin Vettori, with his few recent setbacks coming against rising elite contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Anthony Hernandez. For a division in flux, with Khamzat Chimaev already champion, Allen’s push for a bout with Adesanya could be the riskiest of his career and possibly the fight that finally establishes him as a legitimate threat to the crown.