Paulo Costa’s coach wants Israel Adesanya to beat Robert Whittaker at UFC 243

Paulo Costa’s coach Eric Albarracin wants Israel Adesanya to come out on top against Robert Whittaker at UFC 243. The reason? It will probably lead to a better buildup.

Adesanya is the interim middleweight champion and will face Whittaker in a title unification fight on October 5 in Melbourne. The winner of that contest is likely to defend the belt against Costa who is fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Yoel Romero this past weekend.

Costa previously predicted that Whittaker would win but wanted Adesanya to come out on top because they’ve had their back-and-forths in the past. Albarracin is the same and believes Adesanya’s personality would make the buildup to a potential title fight much more exciting.

“I think that Whittaker is a little bit more complete but Israel Adesanya surprises me all the time too,” he told Submission Radio. “You know what? I would like Israel [to win] because those guys know how to sell a fight.

“He’s quick with his words and I like Israel. He’s an awesome striker, he comes from kickboxing, he comes from a great gym so he’ll be ready. I like Whittaker but Whittaker is quiet. Israel is more outspoken and that makes for a good buildup for a fight.”

While Albarracin thinks Whittaker is the more complete fighter, that doesn’t mean Adesanya isn’t capable of pulling off the victory either.

“I think Israel’s smart,” he added. “I think he’s a superb striker and if he concentrates on his [Whittaker] weak points, I think he wins the fight.”

You can see the full interview below: