Israel Adesanya cruises past Paulo Costa with surgical TKO win
Sunday 27 September 2020 18:19, UK
Israel Adesanya has retained his UFC middleweight title with a surgical TKO victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi.
The New Zealander improved his undefeated record to 20 as he dominated the formerly-undefeated Brazilian from the outset.
The heavily muscled Costa opened the fight with a cocky swagger, daring Adesanya to kick his lead leg by putting his hands behind his back.
Adesanya preened back at Costa, but largely kept his distance and tagged Costa with kicks.
Costa's striking game never got going and Adesanya wore him down, laying in with brutal leg kicks before forcing the referee to step in late in the second round.
Meanwhile in the co-main event, Poland's Jan Blachowicz won his first UFC title at 37 years old by defeating Dominick Reyes to claim Jon Jones's vacated light heavyweight championship.
Blachowicz primarily controlled the action in the first round before catching Reyes with a sudden left hook late in the second round.
The punch caused Reyes to stumble and Blachowicz immediately took advantage, pouncing on the American and quickly finishing him on the ground.
In the event's other results, Brandon Royval earned a second-round submission victory over Kai Kara-France, Ketlen Vieira claimed a decision win over Sijara Eubanks in the women's bantamweight division and Hakeem Duwodu eked out a decision victory against Zubhaira Tukhugov to improve his record to 12-1-1.
