When their UFC 230 bout got scrapped, Yoel Romero stated that Paulo Costa failed a USADA test, only to immediately reel those comments back. The fast rising middleweight fighter wasn’t happy with those statements, saying that spreading those PED rumors just made their potential bout much more personal.
“It’s not true. Romero is a bad guy. He put this in the air,” Costa said on ESPN (transcribed by MMA Mania). “It’s not true. I never used steroids in my life. I never used anything to shift the game.
”Yes, of course (it’s more personal now),” he said. “If I fight against him, I will punch with more power to make him pay.”
According to Costa, the NYSAC had concerns about his stomach medication, but isn’t suspended by USADA or the commission. He says he will be ready to return to competition soon, and hopes to finally face Romero.
“I feel bad in my stomach, a stomach ache,” Costa said. “My medication was normal. It was not to increase performance. But I cannot speak much about this. I need to wait for the New York commission to close the case.”
Romero wasn’t the only middleweight talking about Costa and USADA though. Interim middleweight champ Israel Adesanya recently stated that he wants to fight Costa “before USADA gets him.”
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