UFC 253 video recap: Adesanya cruises past Costa to win by TKO

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Israel Adesanya wiped the floor with Paulo Costa at UFC 253 to defend his middleweight title.

In the main event of UFC 253, Israel Adesanya outclassed Paulo Costa and finished the Brazilian with strikes in the second round to defend his UFC middleweight title.

What was the high point of the fight?

From the opening bell it was clear what Adesanya’s gameplan was, attack the legs of Costa early on. “The Last Stylebender” chopped down the legs of Costa in the first round, as “Borrachinha” got himself into a kicking war with Adesanya. Costa’s showboating in the first round got him nowhere as Adesanya was clearly getting the better of the exchanges.

In the second round, Adesanya started the round by mixing up kicks and landing some good strikes on Costa. After catching a body kick Adesanya landed a body shot of his own and then a hook on the retreat that dropped Costa, all it took was a few more follow up strikes and the fight was over.

Where do both men go from here?

Adesanya could not have hoped for the fight with Costa to go any better than it did. After all the pre-fight trash talk, Adesanya made a huge statement by thoroughly outclassing Costa. Adesanya said he wants to fight Jared Cannonier next after he destroys Robert Whittaker in their upcoming fight.

The fight couldn’t have gone any worse for Costa. His showboating antics in round one and getting into a kicking war with Adesanya came back to bite him. The loser of Cannonier vs. Whittaker is a good fight to make for Costa next given he is still at the top of the middleweight division.

Watch it now, later or never?

It was a beatdown from Adesanya, watch it now.