"He scares me" - Luke Rockhold explains what motivates him to take on Paulo Costa and chase the UFC Middleweight title
![Luke Rockhold (L) Paulo Costa (R) [Credits: Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/08/87b65-16608535016884-1920.jpg?w=500)
Luke Rockhold recently sat down with Daniel Cormier and talked about his upcoming match with Paulo Costa in the co-main event of UFC 278.
'DC' asked Rockhold why he wanted to fight Paulo Costa so badly, especially since Costa is not too far removed from being one of the most feared contenders in the division. Rockhold dished on how this element is motivating to him, sharing:
"Truly, yeah, he scares me. He's one of the top elite guys, and for me, you know me, I'm always going straight for the jugular. I don't mess around. I don't want to mess around, I'm 37 years old, and if I'm going to come back to do this thing I'm going to do it right. I need a guy that's gonna get me up out of bed, that's going to scare me into working my ass off. You know pushing myself to be the best I can be, and Paulo Costa is that guy."
Rockhold, who is not usually known for being an eloquent speaker, is saying all the right things leading up to the match. He seems to be taking Costa seriously, and it seems his heart is still in the sport of MMA. Whether that translates into success on Saturday night will be a defining moment of his career.
You can watch Rockhold's full interview with Cormier below:
Paulo Costa ready for Luke Rockhold, says it's still his 'prime'
Paulo Costa came under much scrutiny for being unprofessional in his last bout, missing weight against Marvin Vettori. The UFC had to move the fight to a higher weight twice as Costa wasn't even close to the middleweight limit.
That does not seem to be a concern this time, as Costa has been sharing pictures looking to be in phenomenal shape. He also seems motivated, saying he is only just in his prime at 31 years old.
Costa went on a tear through the start of his career, winning his first 13 professional fights, only to be dominated in a title match against current champion Israel Adesanya. He infamously blamed that loss on drinking too much wine the night before the bout and hasn't looked himself since.
If he is indeed back on track physically and mentally, the division should be on notice. He will have the chance to make a statement on Saturday night when he faces former champion Luke Rockhold.