Two unbeaten fighters, Israel ‘Style Bender’ Adesanya and Paulo Costa, squared off on Saturday night in the main event of the UFC with Adesanya coming out victorious via TKO.
Israel Adesanya ensured it was only meaningful blows that landed when it was time to step into the Octagon at UFC 253 despite both fighters trading verbal shots months prior to the fight.
After spending a full round beating up Costa’s lead leg, Adesanya finished the challenger with punches in the second round of the main event on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
See also: Israel Adesanya defeats Yoel Romero to retain UFC middleweight title
https://youtu.be/ByXmAmAbbiM
Adesanya’s strategy was apparent early on as he kept unloading with kicks to Costa’s lead leg, alternating between kicks to the outside and stomp kicks to the knee. As Adesanya landed, Costa responds with taunts and then tries to cut off the charge.
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But Adesanya’s footwork was on-point, allowing him to slide away from any danger before resuming his leg attacks.
Costa tried to pressure a bit more in a bid to switch things up in the second round, but Adesanya continued to avoid the exchanges and began to mix in strikes to the head.
Adesanya soon landed a head kick which opened a cut above Costa’s eye, and suddenly the challenger’s taunts stopped as he began to move backwards.
As Costa finally got his wish and the two began to exchange in close quarters, Adesanya landed a glancing blow off Costa’s temple, sending him tumbling to the canvas.
Adesanya didn’t waste any time and followed Costa to the ground and started unleashing a brutal flurry of strikes which forced the referee to call a halt to the action at the 3:59 mark of Round 2.
After the fight, Adesanya says: “I still don’t like him. I don’t know him personally, I don’t wish he dies or anything, he’s alive, I let him be alive.”
“This is the game we play, this is violence and I told you guys that it was going to be violent and I said it, it’s going to be violent and it’s going to end fast and that’s what I did. I’m fresh, I can go next weekend, I can go anytime. I want to spend time with my family because it’s been a crazy year, so I want to go spend time with my people.
“I’ve been telling you guys, but everyone thinks … like Roy Jones said, ‘Y’all must have forgot’ because of what happened last time. I had to remind the world who’s the best.”
Adesanya improved to 20-0 with the victory against Paulo Costa, a man many felt was his toughest challenger in the division. With options for fresh challenges dwindling after just two title defences, Adesanya said he had already notified the man who could be next up of the opportunity ahead.
“I already DMed Jared Cannonier,” Adesanya says. “He’s a great dude, I like his energy. I said, ‘You beat Robert Whittaker and you’re next.’ If he beats Robert Whittaker, he’s next.”
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