Israel Adesanya expertly picked apart Paulo Costa to retain his middleweight title and extend his perfect professional record to 20-0 at UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi.
The highly-anticipated grudge match between two undefeated fighters topped the card, but for all the hype, the discrepancy in skill between Adesanya and his challenger was soon apparent.
The event marked a return to ‘UFC Fight Island’ and Adesanya made a second successful defence of his crown by finishing the previously undefeated Brazilian via a second-round TKO.
Nigerian-born New Zealander Adesanya (20-0) landed more than 20 leg kicks in the opening round as he set out to destabilise Costa’s base, and while the Brazilian was able to land some signature body kicks, his most eye-catching moments in the first frame came in the form of his taunting of ‘The Last Stylebender’.
Adesanya’s leg attack continued through round two as the Nigerian-born New Zealander masterfully controlled the range and picked off Costa, 29, almost at will, with the Brazilian struggling to land anything of substance.
Then, as an increasingly frustrated Costa looked to close the distance, Adesanya struck and dropped the hulking Brazilian with a counter right, then finished his man with ground strikes after three minutes, 59 seconds.
“Too easy,” exclaimed UFC commentators, Jon Anik and Paul Felder, as former kickboxing star, Adesanya, sealed his ninth straight UFC win to further cement his status as the world’s premier 185lb fighter.
“You all must have forgot. I have to make you remember, we’re the best,” said Adesanya, referring to the criticism he received from some quarters following his lacklustre display against Cuba’s Yoel Romero in his previous appearance in March.
He then stated he would like to face Jared Cannonier in his next title defence, if the American can defeat former champion, Robert Whittaker, in their fight at UFC 254 on 24 October.
