Adesanya urges White to make bout with 'inflated balloon animal' Costa in New Zealand

Las Vegas, July 15: Israel Adesanya has pleaded with Dana White to book a bout with "inflated balloon animal" Paulo Costa in New Zealand.

UFC middleweight champion Adesanya is one of the company's biggest rising stars and has been on a collision course for some time with Costa, who was slated to face his rival earlier this year before a biceps injury put paid to that fight.

President White stated a bout has not been booked yet as he focuses on UFC's 'Fight Island' dates but spoke about the possibility of hosting fights in New Zealand, where the chance to have a crowd in attendance is a luring prospect given the country's lack of coronavirus cases.

Nigeria-born New Zealander Adesanya is keen to settle the score with Costa in familiar surroundings.

"That's a no brainer," Adesanya told Newshub. "100 per cent. F*** yeah.

"I have to headline Spark Arena before my career is over and to defend my title there against this inflated balloon animal, that'd be beautiful."

He added of White: "He's a smart man. I'm pretty sure they miss that gate money, so they'll definitely want to bring it down to New Zealand. I miss that gate money too.

"Don't you like gate money, Dana? Merchandise money and then pay-per-view money all around the world?

"We're one of the first in the western world to have crowds because we've dealt so well with this whole COVID-19 business. I was at the Blues game about three weeks ago. We're going to have King in the Ring this weekend.

"If you want a crowd and things to go back to the way they used to be, New Zealand would be a good starting place.

"Dana, make it happen."