LAS VEGAS — Paulo Costa entered the Octagon at Apex on Saturday, his grudge match with Marvin Vettori only moments away. In 90 seconds, maybe two minutes, he’d be able to hit Vettori all he wanted.
But Costa made an angry charge at Vettori, interrupted by inspectors from the Nevada Athletic Commission. It’s not always easy to correctly read a person’s body language, but in this case, Costa’s body language screamed that he was feeling the pressure.
Vettori, meanwhile, was the epitome of calm. He signed for a bout at 186 pounds, then when Costa arrived in Las Vegas on Tuesday at 218 and told UFC officials he couldn’t make weight, he signed a new contract for one at 195 pounds.