Israel Adesanya refused to face Paulo Costa at UFC 251 or UFC 252, according to Costa’s manager Wallid Ismail.
Ismail said the UFC offered Adesanya two dates to fight Costa and the UFC middleweight champion refused both times. Adesanya and Costa have been jawing at each other ever since Costa beat Yoel Romero at UFC 241.
“UFC offered Adesanya to fight on July 11 and August 15 and Adesanya declined both times,” Ismail told BJPENN.com. “His coach claims Adesanya hasn’t gotten an offer which is not true. We have proof.”
The fight at UFC 252 would have supposedly served as a co-headliner underneath the trilogy fight between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier.