"He almost looked like Vitor Belfort on steroids, but not quite" - Michael Bisping on Paulo Costa's 'gigantic' frame at UFC Fight Night 196
Paulo Costa reportedly weighed 226 pounds in his fight against Marvin Vettori at UFC Vegas 41.
For someone who usually competes in the middleweight division, the Brazilian looked significantly bigger than his opponent this past Saturday. Costa's size even forced Michael Bisping to jokingly compare him with arch-rival Vitor Belfort.
Belfort and Bisping fought each other in 2013. It was 'The Phenom' who walked away victorious after he finished the Englishman in the second round. Belfort, infamous for using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), was exempted from getting his testosterone levels checked before the fight.
@Digger_forum have you seen the before and after of UFC fighter Vitor Belfort? He was on TRT but now they drug test so ... this https://t.co/DRNWjmFUiZ
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, 'The Count' praised Vettori for surviving some nasty shots from Costa, who Bisping said looked "gigantic" in the fight.
"[Marvin Vettori] got the win and he got the win in an incredible fight. I mean how Marvin Vettori took those shots, took that head kick. Costa was ripping to the body. Of course, Vettori outlanded him, he was working busier. But those big, nasty, disgusting shots that echoed around the bloody Apex when they landed, all belonged to Costa and he looked gigantic in there. Marvin is a big guy, he's a big, strong, scary dude but Costa looked like The Incredible Hulk. He almost looked like Vitor Belfort on steroids, but not quite. Like The Incredible Hulk squeezing his penis covered in veins... I've so much respect to both men and so much respect for Marvin for the way he handled that whole scenario."
Watch Bisping's appearance on The MMA Hour below:
Paulo Costa wants to continue fighting at middleweight
Paulo Costa was originally meant to fight Marvin Vettori at middleweight. Three days before UFC Vegas 41, he revealed cutting weight to 185 pounds was not an option for him. That revelation forced the promotion to bump the bout up to light heavyweight.
Although Dana White is sure Costa will never step into the octagon as a middleweight again, 'The Eraser' thinks otherwise.
Speaking to reporters at the post-fight press conference, Paulo Costa said he plans on returning to 185 pounds for his next fight. He hopes to return to middleweight title contention once again.
“I could fight 205 but I could fight 185 as well, so I think it’s better for me to come back to my weight to 185, look for the belt and after that move up.”
Catch Paulo Costa's UFC Vegas 41 post-fight interview below: