Tag: UFC 278

Paulo Costa expects to finish UFC contract with quick stoppage over Luke Rockhold

Paulo Costa is on the verge of becoming a free agent.

SALT LAKE CITY – [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] says he’s on the verge of fighting out his UFC contract.

The former UFC middleweight title challenger revealed on Wednesday that he enters Saturday’s co-main event bout against Luke Rockhold at UFC 278 with one fight left on his UFC deal. Ahead of an important moment in his career, Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) can’t say for certain if he’ll re-sign with the promotion he has fought with since 2017.

“Let’s see, we need to talk (with the UFC),” Costa told reporters at the UFC 278 media day. “It’s just business. It’s business for me, and we need to talk.”

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What the Brazilian can say for certain, is that he believes he’s got what it takes to get Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) out of the octagon quickly.

“I prepare for a war, but I really don’t believe he can hang with me,” Costa said. “I think this fight will finish quickly, but I don’t care. If he could, in some way, hold (his own) and bring a war, I’m ready.”

Costa believes his power is an advantage in this fight and plans to see if the former champion’s chin can hold up.

“I don’t know if I need to hurt him on the very beginning of the fight, but his chin will be tested,” Costa said. “I have no doubt about that.”

Costa hasn’t competed since October 2021 when he suffered a decision loss to Marvin Vettori. The 31-year-old is on a two-fight losing streak, having lost to Israel Adesanya in a championship bout back in September 2020.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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Luke Rockhold rips UFC over fighter pay: ‘They’re letting Dana just run the show and suppress the sport’

Ahead of UFC 278, Luke Rockhold went off on the UFC as he took exception with the current fighter pay and stagnant bonuses.

SALT LAKE CITY – [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] strolled into the media room at the host hotel ahead of his official UFC 278 pre-fight news conference.

With water in one hand and a coffee in the other, the fuzzy sweater-donning Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) looked around and slid the promotion-sponsored Monster Energy bottle out of the frame of the cameras.

As he sat, his cellphone rang. He forgot to turn it silent. That wasn’t the only thing Rockhold needed to readjust to after a three-year layoff. As he answered the first question, he forgot to speak into the microphone.

“Whoops, it’s been a while,” Rockhold told reporters including MMA Junkie.

Typically, with a fighter of Rockhold’s status, the discussion is based around the fight – an increasingly rare chance to see a former champion compete. Those questions still existed, but Rockhold spent much of his time airing grievances, similar to what he did in a string of individual interviews with media outlets in recent days.

His outspeak centered around fighter pay, largely, with an emphasized aggravation on the rate of increase. Rockhold said he’s not afraid to voice these concerns, as he’s at a point in his career where he’s already hit the top of the mountain.

“I’m not saying anything that’s not real,” Rockhold said. “Everything I’m saying is justified and truthful. Just because I should be in a position of power before I say this sh*t? F*ck off. I have nothing to lose. I don’t need this business. I love fighting, and I’m here to fight the best motherf*ckers, and this happens to be the place where it’s done. The company is f*cking growing, and they’re implementing other little stupid-ass bonuses – $5,000 here, $5,000 there. $50,000, man? We’ve been stuck on this motherf*cker for 20 f*cking years. I mean, back when GSP was fighting Jake (Shields), I mean, what was it? $100,000? F*cking it was growing.”

Rockhold specifically pointed to UFC ownership, Endeavor, which purchased the company in 2016 for $4 billion, as part of the issue. Under the old regime, Rockhold doesn’t think the same problems would exist.

“When Lorenzo and Frank (Fertitta) were running the show, there was real grounding wires,” Rockhold said. “These guys don’t know what they’re doing, and they’re letting Dana just run the show and suppress the sport. They need to grow. This whole f*cking thing needs to grow together. Our lives are on the f*cking line. Healthcare needs to be taken care of. Our f*cking health needs to be taken care of. Mine has not been taken care of. Do you know what I mean?

“There’s a lot of people and things that need to change. I’m just not going to be afraid to say it. Everyone wants to f*cking get that title shot. They want to move up. I’ve f*cking done it all. It’s like, yeah, this is business. Every business is like this. It’s about leverage. It’s a game of leverage and life. It’s about f*cking always keeping the upper hand. It’s not just here. It’s everywhere. And if you let these motherf*ckers think they have this leverage, it’s only going to grow above you. It’s just people understanding their worth.”

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Healthcare was the second main focus of Rockhold’s lengthy criticism. Though he elected not to go into details of whatever the issues were he was referring to, Rockhold said he’d like the UFC to cover athletes year-round.

“Things should be easier,” Rockhold said. “The insurance should be year-round. There should be real health (care). The giant is growing and if there’s one thing that should be paramount, it should be our fighters’ health. All these things get played and then it’s like, we should have f*cking health (care) in every facet, so we don’t have to worry about sh*t. Our lives and our bodies are on the line every f*cking time (we) step into that cage. If we’re not f*cking protected, it’s like f*ck. Come on. Wake up.”

Minutes after openly criticizing alternative sports media sources for what he sees as a frequent lack of preparation, Rockhold also expressed how he doesn’t love the new breed of fighters like Sean O’Malley and Paddy Pimblett. However, Rockhold said the leverage he sees them configuring is very admirable.

“As much as I dislike where these guys are going and what they represent, the f*cking Sean O’Malleys and the Paddys, these guys have leveraged the game,” Rockhold said. “They know what’s going on and they have the power. I’d like to see it be done differently. Whatever. (I) f*cking respected them for understanding that and taking the time away. The Paddy kid seems to have a good (head on his shoulders). They’re both not dumb, at all. They both are doing their thing.

“I just would like to see better culture grow.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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UFC 278’s Jared Gordon keeps it real: ‘MMA doesn’t give me any fulfillment whatsoever’

“Actually it’s made my life worse,” Jared Gordon says of MMA before he competes at UFC 278.

SALT LAKE CITY – [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag] still has to compete Saturday at UFC 278, but as tends to happen during media sessions three days in advance, he was asked about what he wants next before his fight even plays out.

In short, the native New Yorker said he wants to fight at Madison Square Garden, which will host UFC 281 in November. If he comes out of his fight against Leonardo Santos without serious injury, the timeline could work out.

Gordon rattled off a list of reasons why fighting at MSG is his “destiny,” but one of them stood out from the rest.

“I used to shoot dope in the bathroom down the block from Madison Square Garden,” Gordon said Wednesday.

Gordon’s past drug addiction has been well documented, but he’s managed to stay on the straight-and-narrow since joining the UFC in 2017. And at UFC 278, he’ll be looking to rebound from a submission loss to Grant Dawson in his last fight.

Given his troubled history, one might think Gordon is fulfilled by competing in MMA at the highest level, that perhaps the sport and being in the UFC have helped him stay sober. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“MMA hasn’t helped me at all. Actually it’s made my life worse. I’m not even joking,” Gordon said. “MMA doesn’t give me any fulfillment whatsoever. I’m able to use my platform to help people through MMA, but whether I win or lose, three days later I’m miserable again.”

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Gordon went on to liken the experience of being a fighter to that of a drug addict and cautioned his counterparts about getting caught up in it.

“It’s like drugs. I’ve got to look for another fix. All right, ‘what’s next?’ You see it all the time,” Gordon said. “These guys become multiple-time world champions, and they’re fighting into their 40s looking for that next thing. They’re trying to fill a void. The only thing that fills my void is God, my family, my wife, my relationships, and helping other people. That’s the only thing that gives me fulfillment, is helping other people. So I need UFC and this platform to help others.

“If Logan Paul or Jake, whatever his name is, and Floyd (Mayweather) and Conor McGregor – no offense, I’m not trying to put them down. But if they were preaching about mental health and addiction, how many people would listen? I don’t have a platform like they do. The goal is to get there. They’re driving around in Lamborghini boats and flashing chains. All my shiny sh*t doesn’t do anything for me – my car, I’m wearing a Rolex right now. I’m wearing this just for this (interview). I like it, but it’s like a burden on my life. I’m still paying it off. I’ve owned it for a year. It’s a burden on my life. Fighting, I love martial arts. It’s my passion. I love competing. It’s not for me. None of this is for me. It’s for the people I’m trying to help.”

Gordon (18-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), 33, meets Santos (18-5-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC) on the UFC 278 prelims prior to the pay-per-view main card. Before losing to Dawson, Gordon was on a three-fight winning streak.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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Leon Edwards agrees with Dana White: Kamaru Usman trilogy next with UFC 278 title win

Leon Edwards is already forecasting a trilogy fight with Kamaru Usman going into their UFC 278 title-fight rematch.

SALT LAKE CITY – [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] knows his business with [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] won’t be done if he claims the welterweight title in the UFC 278 main event.

After losing a unanimous decision to Usman (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) at UFC on FOX 17 in December 2015, Edwards (18-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will finally get his rematch with the reigning titleholder on Saturday at Vivint Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ABC and ESPN+.

Given Usman’s tremendous reign atop the division, UFC president Dana White said in advance of the event that a trilogy fight will happen immediately should Edwards claim the belt. “Rocky” said he agrees with that take, and will be ready for the rubber match.

“For sure – 100 percent,” Edwards told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 278 media day. “He’s been a dominant champion, so naturally in sport in boxing or MMA, when you defend the belt a couple times or been dominant, you get a rematch. So, I definitely envision doing it again.”

Despite agreeing with White’s notion, Edwards said he’s not going to wait around forever. If he defeats Usman in a fashion that keeps “The Nigerian Nightmare” out for a considerable amount of time, then Edwards said he’ll look at other opponents such as Khamzat Chimaev, Jorge Masvidal, or Colby Covington.

“I want to be an active champion,” Edwards said. “I don’t want to be once a year. I want to be active. I’m only 30 years old, so I’m going into my prime now. The more fights I have, the better it would be for me.”

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Although he already has a loss to Usman on his record, Edwards said he’s not looking at his UFC 278 rematch as a monumental task. Usman enters the fight No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie pound-for-pound rankings, but Edwards said he doesn’t see his upcoming foe as unbeatable, and he intends to prove that inside the octagon.

“All this pound-for-pound talk, I don’t see it,” Edwards said. “I don’t see it in his fights, I don’t see it in his techniques. He’s a very good fighter, he has improved. I’m not going to into this flight blind thinking he’s another wrestler, but I just don’t see it.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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Video: UFC 278 media day live stream

Follow along with our live video stream from UFC 278 media day in Salt Lake City.

SALT LAKE CITY – Fight week is officially underway for the UFC’s ninth pay-per-view event of the year.

UFC 278 media day kicks off the week of activities ahead of Saturday’s event at Vivint Arena. Starting at approximately 2:15 p.m. ET, MMA Junkie will live stream media day, which features headliners [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] and [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag], co-headliners [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag], and a host of others fighting on the card.

Below is the full lineup (all times ET, subject to change):

  • 2:15 p.m. Leon Edwards available
  • 2:30 p.m. Harry Hunsucker available
  • 3 p.m. Jared Gordon available
  • 3:30 p.m. Luke Rockhold available
  • 3:45 p.m. Alexandr Romanov available
  • 4 p.m. Merab Dvalishvili available
  • 4:15 p.m. Leonardo Santos available
  • 4:30 p.m. Paulo Costa available
  • 4:45 p.m. Kamaru Usman available
  • 5 p.m. Jose Aldo available
  • 5:15 p.m. Marcin Tybura available
  • 5:45 p.m. Tyson Pedro available

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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UFC 278 ‘Embedded,’ No. 3: ‘I feel like a monster right now’

Check out the third episode of UFC 278 “Embedded,” which follows Paulo Costa during his preparation for Luke Rockhold.

The UFC is back with its ninth pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

The main event features a highly anticipated rematch between welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) and [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC). The two first fought in December 2015 in Usman’s first fight after winning Season 21 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Usman won a unanimous decision and went on to win the 170-pound title, which he has defended five times. Edwards has gone 9-0 since their first fight.

The co-main event features the return of former middleweight champ [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), who will be fighting for the first time in more than three years when he meets [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC).

The third episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Champ Kamaru Usman flies in style. Leon Edwards eyeballs American groceries. Luke Rockhold recovers from a road trip. Paulo Costa is motivated by his opponent.

Also watch:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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Israel Adesanya advises Luke Rockhold to ‘start wrestling straight away’ against Paulo Costa at UFC 278

“Luke, if he can wrestle him and get him tired, wear those muscles out. Luke, try to wrestle him straight away.”

UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] needs to mix things up from the get-go against [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag].

Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) meets Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the UFC 278 co-main event Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Adesanya handed Costa his first loss when he stopped him by TKO in September 2020 to retain his title. But with Rockhold returning from a more-than-three-year layoff, Adesanya thinks he should incorporate his grappling early to make Costa hesitant.

“Luke should take him down,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Luke, start wrestling straight away. Costa, though, early on (is dangerous). His hips – I remember when Yoel, same thing. Yoel tried to take down Costa, and Costa had the overhook and just whizzered him and then got back up, and they smiled at each other.

“But Luke, if he can wrestle him and get him tired, wear those muscles out. Luke, try to wrestle him straight away. Do what I did: Teep his legs, establish leg kicks a little bit, but start wrestling straight away and make him tired, make him second guess. Make him know he can be taken down or there’s a threat of being taken down.”

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As for Costa, Adesanya says he needs to walk down his opponent like he always does, which has resulted in 11-career knockouts.

“Costa, just do what he does,” Adesanya said. “Just barrage him, clip him. If he clips him, he’s probably going to drop Luke.”

All five of Rockhold’s losses have come by knockout and although he’s facing a power puncher in Costa, Adesanya thinks more than three years without fighting should have a positive impact on the former middleweight champ.

“With the time off, hopefully his brain has recovered as much as it can,” Adesanya said. “My brain goes Luke, so I’m gonna put Luke.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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UFC 278 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2: ‘Super chill’ Jose Aldo arrives for fight week in SLC

Check out the second episode of UFC 278 “Embedded,” which features former champion Jose Aldo’s arrival to Salt Lake City.

The UFC is back with its ninth pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 278 takes place Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

The main event features a highly anticipated rematch between welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (20-1 MMA, 15-0 UFC) and [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (19-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC). The two first fought in December 2015 in Usman’s first fight after winning Season 21 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Usman won a unanimous decision and went on to win the 170-pound title, which he has defended five times. Edwards has gone 9-0 since their first fight.

The co-main event features the return of former middleweight champ [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC), who will be fighting for the first time in more than three years when he meets [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC).

The second episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Leon Edwards takes a swing with his team. Champ Kamaru Usman gets energy from his brother, a fellow Ultimate Fighter. Alexandr Romanov gets gritty in training. Jose Aldo and Paulo Costa travel from Brazil. Luke Rockhold acclimates Park City-style.

Also watch:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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UFC 278 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Joe Rogan highlights cageside trio

The UFC’s commentary A-team of Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik will be on the call for UFC 278.

The ninth numbered UFC event of the year is rapidly approaching with UFC 278 on Saturday at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

Anthony Smith says Luke Rockhold can make it look easy at UFC 278: ‘I don’t see where Paulo Costa wins this fight’

“If he can avoid taking a big shot from Paulo Costa, honestly, as silly as it sounds, he might make it look easy.”

Contrary to what the odds suggest, [autotag]Anthony Smith[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] will beat [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag].

Rockhold (16-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) is a sizable underdog in Saturday’s UFC 278 co-main event against Costa (13-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

The former UFC middleweight champion hasn’t competed since July 2019, and all his career losses have come by knockout. But Smith thinks Rockhold is more skilled than Costa and just has to tighten up defensively in order to avoid the Brazilian’s power shots.

“I think that Luke is absolutely the better fighter, but I’ve said that about the last couple of guys that Luke has fought,” Smith said in an interview with James Lynch. “Luke Rockhold’s problem is not that he is not good enough to be at the top of the division, because he is – and that same goes for 185 and 205. He is that good. His issue has always been his defense and pulling out of shots with his chin up.

“I hope that he’s fixed that because if he has, he can avoid taking anything big. I don’t see where Paulo Costa wins this fight. I don’t see how. Luke’s too good on his feet. I’ve said this time and time again. I’ve heard the horror stories of Luke Rockhold grappling. That guy is goddamn good from what I hear. … If he can avoid taking a big shot from Paulo Costa, honestly, as silly as it sounds, he might make it look easy.”

Since losing the middleweight title in a big upset to Michael Bisping in June 2016, Rockhold has lost three of his past four. The 37-year-old currently is on a two-fight skid with back-to-back knockout losses to Yoel Romero and ex-light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz at UFC 239.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 278.

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