In the UFC 253 main event, Israel Adesanya is looking to make the second defence of his middleweight title against undefeated Brazilian knockout artist Paulo Costa. Who’ll emerge victoriously? Let’s see what the LowKickMMA staff think…
Jordan Ellis: I really can’t look past Israel Adesanya in this one. His striking is simply on another level. I expect him to be cautious of Paulo Costa’s power in the first round before finding his own range and ultimately taking out a tired Costa before the championship rounds.
Prediction: Israel Adesanya
Karim Nathan: For this battle between 2 undefeated fighters, it’s gonna be a real close fight and I think we get to see a rematch no matter who wins. Costa is gonna come swinging trying to closing the distance by throwing a barrage of punches as well as mixing in some bodywork which will make him take the first couple of rounds, then when Costa begins to fatigue Adesanya will take the last 3 rounds by carefully picking his shots from a distance and not get hit as much, which will result in a 3-2 win for the champion.
Prediction: Israel Adesanya
Harry O’Connor: I think since the UFC restarted, this is the fight I’m looking forward to the most. Costa is a machine with his power and is very much deserving of this title shot. On to Adesanya, I really think he is special, his fight IQ is brilliant and I think he’s only going to get better, I think in the early rounds he’s going to make Costa miss, who will then begin to get tired. Once Adesanya has Costa tired I can see him taking the Brazilian out, I’m going to go with Adesanya in the fourth and he will really make a statement.
Prediction: Israel Adesanya
Abhinav Kini: I’ve been waiting for this fight for months and it’s finally here. Other than the beef, it’s the stylistic matchup that intrigues me most. Adesanya likes to create space and counter. Costa likes to cut space and pressure with volume. Not to mention, he has the power to shut down opponents. Who will come out on top? I have to give the slight edge to Adesanya and see him getting the decision, simply because of his excellent striking ability and overall experience.
Prediction: Israel Adesanya
Ryan MacCarthy: It’s difficult to say who will win. I think Costa is going to come out headhunting and put the pressure on to start. Can his gas tank last 5 rounds though with one of the most gifted strikers in MMA history? We know Adesanya can handle the 5 rounds, he’s been there done that against the very best in the world. I’m not very confident that Costa can win this by decision if it were to go to that. I think Adesanya elite precision in striking is going to be the difference-maker with his footwork and pretty much every skillset being a little more superior than Costas. I see Adesanya finishing Costa inside of 3 rounds tonight.
Prediction: Israel Adesanya