Israel Adesanya and the challenger for his UFC middleweight crown got into a heated verbal exchange in Friday.
Adesanya and Paulo Costa took part in the satellite interview with ESPN with a fiery Costa even unbuttoning his shirt to show off what he said was a superior physique to the New Zealand superstar's.
Costa also said he believes Adesanya, who was launching expletive-laden insults, is promoting the UFC 253 main event in a trashy way.
"I don't like these kind of [trash-talkers] and I believe the fans [don't] also," said Costa from his home country of Brazil. "This sport don't need this kind of attitude. You don't need this to sell a good fight. You just need to go and make a good fight."
The card is scheduled for September 27 at a location yet to be determined and for the first time in UFC history, two undefeated fighters will battle for the middleweight championship when 19-0 striking sensation Adesanya defending against 13-0 powerhouse Costa.
Costa went on to also blast Adesanya's lackluster performance from UFC 248 on March 7 against Yoel Romero for its lack of activity. Adesanya said it will actually be Costa who makes their title fight entertaining.
"He's dumb and he walks forward and he throws shots," Adesanya said. "That's what makes it really exciting and that's what I'm looking forward to. I'm looking forward to a big, inflated ignoramus running up on me, trying to throw shots as I keep moving and sticking him."
The two fighters have been feuding, mostly on social media, for more than two years. Adesanya took a verbal jab at Costa in his postfight interview after that UFC 248 win over Romero where Costa, who was sitting in the front row, attempted to jump the barricade and enter the Octagon, but he was held back by security.
"I will face you very, very soon, and I will have an opportunity to show you what I tried to show on that moment," Costa replied later.
However, Adesanya said Costa will soon find out that his performance against Romero was an anomoly and Costa was bound to provoke a completely different set of tactics.
"When someone brings the fight, I f***ing fight," Adesanya said. "You say you're gonna bring the fight, right? Bring that s***. ... Yes [Costa is] dumb, but that's what makes him dangerous as well because he's not scared to walk forward and throw and he's strong, but the same thing happens when they step in the cage with me, when they see me and feel me, they say, 'Oh my God, he's a lot stronger than I thought. Oh my God, he's a lot bigger than I thought.' It's nothing different."