Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Get up to date on the main event of UFC 253 this weekend between middleweight champ Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa.
In the main event of UFC 253, middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will attempt to make the second defense of his title against fellow undefeated contender Paulo Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC). UFC 253 marks the promotion’s return to “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi this Saturday, September 26th. The main card will start with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET / 7.00 p.m. PT, with the ESPN prelims beginning at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN+.
How do these two stack up?
Adesanya: 31 years old | 6’4” | 80” reach
Costa: 29 years old | 6’0” | 72” reach
How did these two get here?
Adesanya: W – Yoel Romero (DEC) | W – Robert Whittaker (KO) | W – Kelvin Gastelum (DEC)
Costa: W – Yoel Romero (DEC) | W – Uriah Hall (TKO) | W – Johny Hendricks (TKO)
What have these two done recently?
Make what you want of Israel Adesanya’s last fight against Yoel Romero in March, but there’s no denying that the fight was a snoozer. That’s not to say Adesanya has been boring in his recent performances, becoming the first man to stop Robert Whittaker in years, winning the 185-pound belt in the process. Before that Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum produced what was 2019’s Fight of the Year at UFC 236.
Adesanya is a huge step-up in competition for Paulo Costa. “Borrachinha” has looked extremely impressive in his five UFC wins, but it was Costa’s most recent win against Romero last November that proved the Brazilian can compete with the top of the middleweight division. Costa has stopped all his other opponents apart from Romero all within two rounds.
Why should you care?
This fight will surely prove to be a classic, with the power and Costa and technique of Adesanya destined to produce an entertaining scrap.