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Paulo Costa’s manager says Eugene Bareman ‘lied,’ Israel Adesanya turned down UFC 251 fight

Israel Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bareman recently said that “nothing has come over my desk in regards” to a UFC title fight between his protege and No. 1 contender Paulo Costa, but “Borrachinha’s” manager Wallid Ismail disputes that claim.

Ismail reached out to MMA Fighting to say that Bareman “lied” about never being offered a date for a championship fight with the undefeated Brazilian. According to the manager, UFC considered booking the middleweight title for UFC 251 on July 11 in Abu Dhabi, but eventually went a different direction.