UFC 318: Paulo Costa post-fight interview
UFC 318 winner Paulo Costa spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters post-fight after his unanimous decision victory over Roman Kopylov in New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS – Paulo Costa’s shaking at the UFC 318 pre-fight news conference had some viewers scratching their heads, while others were concerned.
But immediately following his win Saturday at Smoothie King Center, Costa (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) said there’s no need to worry, even though he was seen rapidly bouncing in his seat during Thursday’s pre-fight festivity.
Costa explained there were no external substances or health conditions to blame for the bizarre visual – only intensity.
“First of all, the people said I was shaking,” Costa said. “I was not sick or nothing. I didn’t use any powder or something like that. I was just very motivated, very focused, very locked in on this fight. In the backstage, I was telling to myself, relaying to myself the whole time, ‘This is war. Go to war. Do your thing. You need this victory. I will not be back without this victory.’ So I was locked in. I was 100 percent focused on this fight, this match. I know this was a very tough opponent.”
“Hunter told me, ‘Paulo, this is a great matchup.’ I was the co-main event. Even Marvin (Vettori) and (Brendan) Allen, they both (are) above me in the rankings. But we are here in the co-main event, because the UFC knows this was going to be a great matchup, a great fight, a great comeback for me. So I put too much concentration on this fight and this victory.”
Costa’s intensity paid off. He defeated Roman Kopylov (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) in the co-main event. The win snapped a two-fight losing skid.
