Question: How would you handle a fighter like this?

Unheralded Truth

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If you were a promoter/matchmaker and there's a guy on your roster who's been through all this:

- Suspended six months by USADA for IV therapy after the weigh-ins against Bamgbose and Hendricks
- Comes back and gets rewarded with a title fight, but fails miserably against the champ he didn't take as a threat
- Disappears for a year, then misses the weight by 25 lbs in the return, forcing the opponent to accept a LHW bout. Loses the fight and says it's because of drinking wine the night prior
- Somehow gets another chance at MW against a washed-up Rockhold who's been away for 3 years (after getting KO'd in 3 out of the last 4 bouts). Goes the distance and looks kinda bad
- Still rewarded with a top name despite everything, but for the second time he ducks Robert Whittaker and openly comes with special demands instead. Later calls out Nick Diaz who's had one single fight in the last 8 years

What would be the fair thing to do in a scenario like this one?
 
What I would do if I called the shots in the UFC? I don’t know as there's alot of behind the scenes stuff i don’t know about. Sounds like there was some fuckery going on behind the scenes with that last Whittaker fight.

With what we know i'd probably pay him more and try to negotiate a new contract. Your attempt at a bash thread didn't work.
 
I still can't figure out how they didn't make him move up to LHW going forward after that debacle in the Vettori fight.

Costa's a headcase. It's too bad... cause he's a beast athlete and has some skills. He was winning UFC fights in his mid-20's and had a ton of potential, with some dedication and commitment to focusing and improving his craft, he could've really been something special. Instead he never fights, and never looks like he's made any improvements when he does fight, and there's always a sideshow story with him. He's on the wrong side of 30 now and I highly doubt he'll ever make it to the top.
 
I still can't figure out how they didn't make him move up to LHW going forward after that debacle in the Vettori fight.

Costa's a headcase. It's too bad... cause he's a beast athlete and has some skills. He was winning UFC fights in his mid-20's and had a ton of potential, with some dedication and commitment to focusing and improving his craft, he could've really been something special. Instead he never fights, and never looks like he's made any improvements when he does fight, and there's always a sideshow story with him. He's on the wrong side of 30 now and I highly doubt he'll ever make it to the top.
Wrong side of 30? He is 31? He isn't in his late 30s.
 
If you were a promoter/matchmaker and there's a guy on your roster who's been through all this:

- Suspended six months by USADA for IV therapy after the weigh-ins against Bamgbose and Hendricks
- Comes back and gets rewarded with a title fight, but fails miserably against the champ he didn't take as a threat
- Disappears for a year, then misses the weight by 25 lbs in the return, forcing the opponent to accept a LHW bout. Loses the fight and says it's because of drinking wine the night prior
- Somehow gets another chance at MW against a washed-up Rockhold who's been away for 3 years (after getting KO'd in 3 out of the last 4 bouts). Goes the distance and looks kinda bad
- Still rewarded with a top name despite everything, but for the second time he ducks Robert Whittaker and openly comes with special demands instead. Later calls out Nick Diaz who's had one single fight in the last 8 years

What would be the fair thing to do in a scenario like this one?
i would cut the charade and get rid of the USADA deal. it has ruined this "sport" of cage fighting, ruined match ups, ruined events, and everyone is still juicing. if a fighter doesn't want to fight, let the contract run out. who cares? costa signed the contract. you honor it, and then renegotiate. he's not doing himself any favors.
 
Wrong side of 30? He is 31? He isn't in his late 30s.
That's true, but if we haven't really seen any improvements in his game from age 26-30, then it seems unlikely that we'll suddenly see improvements in his game from 31+. I guess it's possible he really gets his act together and fully commits himself to improving his skills.... it's just not super likely at this point.
 
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