5 UFC fighters who lived rent-free in their rivals' heads
Athletes in the UFC like Jon Jones, Conor McGregor and Henry Cejudo truly understand that there is more to combat sports than physical prowess. Mental fortitude and the ability to get in their opponents' heads is the other side of the coin. Great fighters are those who understand and ace both facets of the game.
Social media call-outs, pre-fight antics and trash talk are just some tools that athletes use in a bid to intimidate their opponents. There have been instances when fighters have occupied a spot in their rivals' minds long after their feud came to an end. The fact that some fighters are in their rivals' heads long after their retirement from the UFC is something that never fails to astound.
Fighters can endure in the minds of their foes for a significant amount of time for a myriad of reasons. Handing their rivals a loss truly bolsters their position in their minds more often than not. While losing is quite normal in the realm of combat sports and the UFC, some defeats haunt fighters.
The build-up to the fight often plays a vital role in setting the tone for a budding rivalry, laying the foundation for a fighter living rent-free in their rivals' minds. In this article, we'll look at those fighters who completely dominated the mental aspect of their rivalries in the UFC.
#5. UFC middleweights Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa
Israel Adesanya's fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 253 in September 2020 was a highly-anticipated matchup. Touted as the fighter to bring 'The Last Stylebender's reign to an end, Costa went into the fight with a tremendous amount of confidence.
Mocking his frame and physical build, Costa dismissed Adesanya as weak. However, the Kiwi put one over Costa by way of KO/TKO in the second round. This marked the first loss of Costa's career, and the Brazilian took it poorly.
Israel Adesanya's name stayed on Costa's lips for quite some time. Calling for a rematch almost immediately, Paulo Costa consistently threw shade at the Kiwi for his antics throughout the ordeal, which critics dismissed as unbecoming. As far as Costa is concerned, there's unfinished business between him and Adesanya.