A Nigerian MMA fighter, Israel Adesanya, has retained his UFC middleweight title after knocking out the Brazilian challenger during a second-round TKO in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night, September 26.
Adesanya, 31, defeated Brazil’s Paulo Costa Paulo Costa after battering the opponent’s front leg with multiple kicks.
The middleweight undefeated champion quieted the Brazilian fighter’s trash-talking in the first round of the main event on Fight Island.
So far, Adesanya has won his 20th professional MMA victory and remains the world’s best middleweight at a perfect 20-0.
In the second round, Adesanya opened up Costa’s face with a high kick and then finished the challenger with punches. Costa, 29, stumbled backward and could not recover as he was left bloodied and bruised on the canvas.
“I’ve been telling you guys, but everyone thinks … like Roy Jones said, ‘Y’all must have forgot’ because of what happened last time,” Adesanya said after his win. “I had to remind the world who’s the best.”
“The Last Stylebender’ calling out Jared Cannonier for his next fight during the post-match interview.
“I already messaged Jared Cannonier, he is a hell of a dude, I love his energy, I said, you destroy Robert Whittaker, you are next. He’s the one I want to fight next.”
