Tag: Paulo Costa

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Israel Adesanya, Zhang Weili and UFC 248’s key winning fighters?

See whom champs Israel Adesanya and Zhang Weili should fight next after their title defenses at UFC 248.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Yoel Romero, Joanna Jedrzejczyk after UFC 248 losses?)

After every event, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next.

With another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 248’s key winning fighters.

Those include [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), who defeated Yoel Romero (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) by unanimous decision to defend his middleweight belt in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (21-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who edged Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) by split decision to retain the strawweight belt in the co-headliner, as well as [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag] (18-4-1 MMA, 12-4-1 UFC), [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] (22-7 MMA, 15-6 UFC) and [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC).

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Sean O’Malley

Brian Kelleher

Should fight: [autotag]Brian Kelleher[/autotag]
Why they should fight: O’Malley returned to the octagon in resounding fashion after two years away and showed that he’s still a top bantamweight prospect by putting away Jose Quinonez with an impressive – and fast – first-round finish.

Now undefeated, it’s time for “Suga” to take a step up in competition and see if the talent really matches the hype. He’s able to show out against fighters who aren’t in his league, but what about against someone who should be far more competitive against him?

Sure, Kelleher (20-10 MMA, 4-3 UFC) hasn’t proven himself to be a worldbeater, but he has more experience than O’Malley, has fought better opponents and has better wins. He called for the fight after O’Malley’s win, and the UFC should give it to him.

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Neil Magny

Michael Chiesa

Should fight: [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]
Why they should fight: After a 16-month layoff, Magny returned in fine form and picked up a solid unanimous decision win against Li Jingliang, who has been doing some good things in the welterweight division in recent years.

Immediately after the fight, Magny had a name ready to go for who he wanted next. That name was Chiesa, who is coming off a unanimous decision win over former champ Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN+ 25 in January that moved him to 3-0 as a welterweight.

Chiesa promptly took to social media and accepted to the callout, and with both sides invested, this one makes itself.

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Beneil Dariush

Gregor Gillespie

Should fight: [autotag]Gregor Gillespie[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Dariush extended his winning streak to four fights with one of the best knockouts so far this year. He stopped Drakkar Klose with an absurd punch in the second round of their lightweight matchup, and now it seems Dariush is on the cusp of breaking back into the top 15 of the weight class.

Dariush has been in and out of the rankings over the years, but with three consecutive stoppage wins, he hasn’t seen this type of momentum before. It puts him in position to get a name opponent at 155 pounds, and Gillespie (13-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) is available.

Gillespie is coming off a heinous knockout loss to Kevin Lee at UFC 244 in November, but from all indications is looking to book his next fight sometime in the coming months. Dariush said he’ll be ready to get back to work after his upcoming honeymoon, and it certainly has the ingredients for a solid fight.

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Zhang Weili

Rose Namajunas

Should fight: [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] or [autotag]Joanna Jedrzejczyk[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Weili should fight Rose Namajunas (if she wins at UFC 249) or rematch Jedrzejczyk next for her second title defense.

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Israel Adesanya

Paulo Costa

Should fight: [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag]
Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Adesanya should fight Costa (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) next for his second title defense.

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Callout Collection: Who UFC 248 winners want next – and how likely they’ll get them

Neil Magny and Israel Adesanya both made clear their intentions when they name-dropped their preferred next opponents following victories at UFC 248.

Earning wins in the UFC is certainly no easy task, but what comes next is often even more important: the post-fight callout.

So after Saturday’s UFC 248 event in Las Vegas, who took advantage of their time on the mic? See below for this week’s Callout Collection – and just how realistic each one is.

* * * * *

First up, let’s take a look at the lone main card callout …

Neil Magny

Wants to fight: [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag]

The callout: “I’m wasting no time. Michael Chiesa is the guy I’m looking to fight next, and I’m looking to do it as soon as possible. No need to wait until the summertime – I know you’re healthy. Let’s get out here and do it, give these fans the show they want, and let me bring the work.”

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The reality: Perhaps the unlikeliest candidate to appear in “Callout Collection,” [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] has personified the “fight whoever’s next” mentality throughout his UFC career. But, after being forced onto the sidelines in recent months, he knows he needs a solid win over a big name to get back to contendership at 170 pounds once again, and Chiesa might be the ideal man for the job. However, while the fight certainly makes sense for Magny, the upside isn’t quite as clear for Chiesa, who is on a tear following his jump from lightweight to welterweight. Following back-to-back wins over ex-interim champ Carlos Condit, “TUF 1” winner Diego Sanchez and former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, “Maverick” has called for a fight with Colby Covington. With all due respect to Magny, that’s a fight that gives Chiesa a lot more to gain.

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Next up: The middleweight champion clarifies his next challenge

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Paulo Costa after UFC 248: Israel Adesanya ‘is the most shameful champion I have ever seen’

Paulo Costa did not hold back his thoughts on Israel Adesanya’s performance against Yoel Romero.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] was not impressed with [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]’s title defense at UFC 248 and promises to unseat the middleweight champion when they fight later this year.

Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) was supposed to meet Adesanya (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) in Saturday’s headliner, but an injury prevented him from making the date, giving Yoel Romero the opportunity instead. It turned out to be a lackluster fight, with the champion defending by unanimous decision in a bout that received plenty of criticism.

Following the event, which took place at T-Mobile Arena, Costa showed up at the post-fight news conference to express a thorough disgust for what he’d just witnessed.

“Horrible fight,” Costa told reporters, including MMA Junkie. “I was ashamed to watch that fight. Adesanya is nothing. Adesanya is the most shameful champion I have ever seen. He just runs. He’s nothing. He’s scared. I think he don’t deserve to talk about him, but he was (expletive). That fight was (expletive).”

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Although Dana White’s thoughts were in line with Costa by calling it a “horrible fight,” the UFC president put the onus on Romero for his lack of aggression and output as the challenger. Costa disagreed, though, and thought Romero potentially did enough to win by holding the center of the octagon more over the course of 25 minutes.

Nevertheless, Adesanya retained the strap, and now a matchup between the two undefeated middleweights will be next. Costa said he’d like to see the fight happen during International Fight Week in July, and White said that’s certainly a possibility.

If and when they do compete, though, Costa said he’s not going to allow the fight to unfold in a similar fashion to what happened at UFC 248.

“I will make him cry,” Costa said. “I will hit him very badly, and he will cry like a baby. I will slap his face in my fight against him. That’s it. He’s shameful.”

You can hear more from Costa in the video above.

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Israel Adesanya already can’t wait for Paulo Costa clash: ‘I’m going to sleep that guy’

The middleweight champ promises his next fight will be nothing like the disappointment of UFC 248.

LAS VEGAS – His victory over Yoel Romero didn’t deliver the fireworks many had hoped for or expected, but UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] says he doesn’t expect the same to happen in his next matchup.

Adesanya (19-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) defeated Romero (13-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 248 in a fight that finished with the crowd showering the octagon with boos. But Adesanya says his next assignment is sure to bring more action and excitement as he discussed the possibility of facing the man he was originally scheduled to face at UFC 248, Brazilian contender [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag].

“Everything happens the way it’s supposed to happen, but I’m looking forward to that fight now more than ever,” Adesanya told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at the post-fight news conference at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “Because I actually get a guy that’s going to not stand there and do the 52 blocks at me. He’s actually going to come forward, have pressure and get hit by me a lot.”

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Earlier in the evening, Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) had slammed Adesanya’s performance, saying he was a “shameful champion” and that he ran from Romero during their headliner, but Adesanya dismissed “Borrachinha’s” comments as those of a man trying to generate some hype for himself ahead of a potential bout between the pair.

“He sucks at it,” Adesanya said. “He sucks at trying to talk trash, as well, and he’s easily influenced. I can flick his nose, and you’ll see him bark at the cage. He’s too emotional.”

It’s that emotional side that Adesanya says will prove Costa’s undoing when they eventually face off inside the octagon as “The Last Stylebender” gave reporters a preview of how he thinks the matchup will play out.

“Already I know how that fight’s going to go,” he said. “I’m going to sleep that guy. He’s a guy that I’ve seen (before). I’ve had a lot of kickboxing fights. His reach, his arms when he lets them down, they reach his waist, you know? I’ll pick him apart. He’s a guy I’ll definitely jab, I’ll pick apart, catch him, then knock him out.”

Fans might not have to wait too long to see that fight, either, with the 185-pound champion declaring himself happy to accept Costa’s suggestion of a fight in Las Vegas on the UFC’s International Fight Week card July 11.

“That sounds good to me,” he said. “July is my birthday month. Yeah, I can do that.”

To hear more from Adesanya, watch the video above.

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Israel Adesanya rips Paulo Costa, explains UFC 248 fight with skidding Yoel Romero

Israel Adesanya understands the criticism about his UFC 248 title fight with Yoel Romero, but says it won’t be a regular thing.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] understands the criticism about his UFC 248 title fight with Yoel Romero, but he said these types of fights won’t be commonplace during his reign.

Romero (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) challenges Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the UFC middleweight belt in Saturday’s headliner, despite the fact he’s coming off back-to-back defeats and has lost three of his past four overall. The champion specifically asked for the matchup, and the UFC brass obliged.

Although Romero is a serious threat inside the octagon, there’s something to be said for fighting a contender on the upswing, and Adesanya said he’ll do that many times over.

“It shouldn’t be a precedent, but you have to understand the landscape of the UFC middleweight division was weird,” Adesanya told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at UFC 248 open workouts on Wednesday.

“I don’t want to be that guy like the former champion, when you hold the division up. I want to be active. I want to be fighting. When I say I want to fight four times in a year, you’ve seen me do it before. You’ve seen me do it five times with a day extra. I still make it a year. I want to be an active champion. I want to do right by the division like ‘GSP’ did to it, like Demetrious (Johnson) did at flyweight, like Anderson (Silva) did at middleweight. Make the middleweight division great, man.”

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If everything had gone as the UFC originally wanted, Adesanya would not be fighting Romero, but instead [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who beat Romero by split decision at UFC 241 in August.

Unfortunately, Costa suffered an injury that cause him to undergo surgery, and the timeline for the matchup did not sync up. Adesanya said Costa’s time will come, though, likely after he takes care of business against Romero in the headlining matchup, which takes place at T-Mobile Arena and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass.

“I called him (out) after the last fight, but then – come on, man,” Adesanya said. “I’m going to pop that (expletive) before USADA does, I swear to God. I want to be the first one to do it.

“He’s next in line, but I might not give him any mind (during my post-fight interview). I’ve already done that in Melbourne. The promo is already there, if you will. If you try something stupid, I’ll pop him again.”

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Paulo Costa lashes out at Israel Adesanya for making 9/11 reference in trash talk

Paulo Costa couldn’t allow Israel Adesanya to go unchecked for his questionable remark at a UFC 248 press conference.

[autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] couldn’t allow [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] to go unchecked for his questionable remark during Friday’s UFC 248 press conference.

Ahead of Adesanya’s scheduled middleweight title defense against Yoel Romero on March 7 in Las Vegas, the champion participated in a satellite Q&A session with his counterpart in front of fans and media. Much of it was typical pre-fight talk, but one answer in particular raised eyebrows.

Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), a Nigerian-born New Zealander, said he would make Romero “crumble like the Twin Towers,” a reference to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, which killed nearly 3,000 people. There were sprinkles of criticism from within the MMA community after the statement, but no response was harsher than what came from Costa (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who went after Adesanya on Twitter.

“You are a disgusting piece of sh*t. How dare you make a joke disrespecting the thousands who died and the heroic firefighters and police,” Costa tweeted. “I will really kill you, dirty kiwi (sic).”

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The disdain between Costa and Adesanya has been building for more than a year. Both men have taken some very personal shots at each other, and now it appears the situation has become that much more tense.

It seems like just a matter of time until they share the octagon, too. Costa originally was pegged as the next contender to Adesanya’s title, but a shoulder surgery disrupted the time frame, and Romero ultimately ended up getting the title shot at UFC 248.

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Israel Adesanya curious about Paulo Costa’s quick recovery from biceps injury

Something doesn’t feel right about this to the UFC middleweight champion.

UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] is confused – or maybe just curious.

Adesanya remains focused on making his first title defense March 7 at UFC 248 in Las Vegas. The only question is whom his opponent will be.

Adesanya originally was set to face undefeated top contender [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag], who’s currently No. 2 (behind only Adesanya) in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings. Costa even sat cageside during Adesanya’s title victory over Robert Whittaker last October in Melbourne, Australia, leading to a brief exchange during “The Last Stylebender’s” celebration.

Shortly after, it was revealed that Costa had surgery to repair a torn biceps. When that news surfaced, Adesanya turned his attention to Yoel Romero, and a fight between them seemed certain for UFC 248. But with seven weeks until the event, no matchup involving Adesanya has been booked.

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That’s because, as UFC president Dana White revealed to MMA Junkie, Costa remains an option. Adesanya, seemingly having caught wind of this, responded Thursday in a tweet.

“I want to know something,” Adesanya said. “How do you get over a nine-month possible bicep injury in three months?” And then he laughed before the video cut off.

Adesanya has accused Costa of using performance-enhancing drugs before. The champ’s reaction in the video would seem to reinforce that belief, wondering how Costa could recover from his injury so quickly.

Last April, Costa received a six-month suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for receiving prohibited intravenous (IV) infusions. Costa always has denied using PEDs.

In August, Costa defeated Romero by unanimous decision in a “Fight of the Year” candidate at UFC 241

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Israel Adesanya on track for UFC 248, but Paulo Costa could replace Yoel Romero

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is expected to defend his title at UFC 248, but his opponent has yet to be determined.

LAS VEGAS – UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] is expected to defend his title at UFC 248, but his opponent has yet to be determined.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the promotion is still actively looking to book Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) vs. [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in the main event of the March 7 event at T-Mobile Arena, despite the organization’s hesitancy to make an official announcement.

“There’s no holdup on it all,” White told MMA Junkie following Wednesday’s UFC 246 news conference. “That’s the fight we’re trying to make. It would be those two and Weili Zhang vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk.”

There is one wrinkle in the company’s plans, though. Undefeated contender [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who earned a title shot with an August win over Romero at UFC 241 but then revealed a bicep injury might keep him out of the planned booking, has now re-entered the picture.

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“The only question is, I don’t know if you’ve seen on social media, but if you look at Costa, he looks like he’s ready to go again, and he’s pushing hard saying, ‘I could take this fight,'” White said

If you look at him online, he looks great and everything else, but we want to hear it from a doctor. We want a doctor to tell us that this guy is going to be OK to fight sooner. Why rush it?

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2020 vamos com tudo

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@teamborracha_oficial

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With UFC 248 a little more than seven weeks away, company officials will certainly be looking to go on sale with tickets sooner rather than later, which means a decision will need to be made in the very near future. But with a blockbuster UFC 246 event set for this weekend, White didn’t seem to feel pressured when asked if there’s a deadline in place to make the call.

“We’re working on it,” White said.

Adesanya currently sits at No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, with Costa just behind at No. 2, and Romero checking in at No. 4

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MMA Junkie’s 2019 ‘Fight of the Year’: Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum

Here are the top four honorable mentions and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Year” award for 2019.

With another action-packed year of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie takes a look at the best fights from January to December. Here are the top five and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Year” award for 2019.

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Honorable mentions

5. Henry Cejudo def. Marlon Moraes at UFC 238

[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) made more combat sports history when he defeated [autotag]Marlon Moraes[/autotag] (23-6-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) to claim the vacant bantamweight belt after a stunning turnaround.

Cejudo, who came into the event as flyweight champ, became the fourth simultaneous two-division titleholder in company history with a third-round TKO victory over Moraes to claim the 135-pound strap.

4. Vicente Luque def. Bryan Barberena at UFC on ESPN 1

[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (17-7-1 MMA, 10-3 UFC) continued to show he’s among the most dangerous fighters in the welterweight division when he came out on the winning end of an all-out war with [autotag]Bryan Barberena[/autotag] (14-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC).

Luque kept his perfect UFC stoppage rate intact when at the end of a wild, thrilling, back-and-forth fight with Barberena, he put together a combination of knees that finally dropped his opponent and led to the stoppage with just six seconds remaining in final round.

3. Kamaru Usman def. Colby Covington at UFC 245

The highly anticipated welterweight title fight between [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) and [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) surpassed all pre-fight expectations, but in the end it was the champion who came away with his title reign intact.

Usman and Covington went toe-to-toe for nearly five rounds, exchanging strikes on the feet and not once putting a wholehearted effort into a takedown attempt. Usman proved more dangerous on the feet in the matchup of wrestlers, breaking Covington’s jaw before dropping and stopping him in the fifth for the fight-ending TKO.

2. Paulo Costa def. Yoel Romero at UFC 241

[autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] (13-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) validated himself as a true middleweight contender when he defeated [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in a bout that was every bit as exciting as it was billed to be beforehand.

Costa joined reigning 185-pound king Robert Whittaker as the only fighters to beat Romero in UFC competition when he earned a unanimous-decision victory in a matchup that was deemed “Fight of the Night” on one of the best cards of the year.

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The Winner: Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236

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In one of the best fights in recent memory, [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) claimed the UFC’s interim middleweight title in a classic five-round thriller with [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (15-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) in the main event of UFC 236 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Gastelum moved quickly to the center at the start of the fight, while Adesanya was content to study from range. A few probing kicks and punches just touched the mark for Adesanya before Gastelum rushed forward with a pair of leaping power punches that missed. Gastelum looked comfortable in the pocket with Adesanya, and his left hand did land clean, leaving his opponent off-balance for a few tense steps away from the fence.

Adesanya continued to be the more accurate striker with his flicking shots, but Gastelum was finding the mark on occasion with his powerful blows. Adesanya’s movement saw him avoid Gastelum’s biggest shots, but he certainly wasn’t untouchable.

Adesanya was a little more aggressive to open the second, kicking at the body and then punching up top. Gastelum continued to press, looping the left hand over the top when in tight. Adesanya tried to attach high, but Gastelum’s defense was solid, and he countered with a beautiful straight punch down the middle. The big left followed shortly after, as well.

Adesanya did his best to slip and move on the outside, but Gastelum was undeniably finding the mark. As he gained confidence, Gastelum pressed, and Adesanya made him pay with a counter right that sent him crashing to the floor. Adesanya followed, but Gastelum was able to crawl back to his feet and reset.

Adesanya’s punches were beginning to land with more authority as the round unfolded. He countered well and again saw a right hand snap his opponent’s head back. A slick reverse elbow stunned Gastelum, who shot for the takedown unsuccessfully after being wobbled. Gastelum grabbed the body again in the final seconds but couldn’t get the fight to the floor.

Gastelum appeared energized to start the third, bouncing lightly on the outside and loading up on the big left. The crowd started chanting Adesanya’s name, and he looked confident on the outside. A brief Thai clinch saw Adesanya land a knee up the middle, but Gastelum pulled away and remained upright. Gastelum leaped forward with a few right hands, but Adesanya’s counters were well-timed and proved the more effective blows.

Adesanya’s right hand really started to find a home as the round unfolded, and Gastelum’s face showed the wear of the blows. In the final 90 seconds, Gastelum was able to drive forward and score a clean takedown, but Adesanya was instantly scrambling and back up on his feet, looking to strike. The two traded a few low kicks before the bell, and the round ended on the feet.

Gastelum came forward quickly in the fourth, and his punches came with bad intentions. Adesanya was forced to move laterally to avoid the chase, but he eventually found his way back to the center of the cage. Adesanya’s right hand again found a home, but Gastelum was able to shake it off and resume his pressure attack, eventually getting inside and briefly holding a clinch, though he wasn’t able to capitalize.

Adesanya tried to turn up the heat late in the frame, though his punches were met with powerful replies. Each time Adesanya tried to completely unload, Gastelum would swing back with menacing responses. A Gastelum high kick landed clean and stunned Adesanya in the final minute, and he couldn’t hide the repercussions. Gastelum charged to capitalize, but Adesanya was able to avoid the follow-ups and scamper to safety. Adesanya pressed inside at the bell, and the round ended against the fence.

With the fight in the balance in the final round, the crowd rose to their feet. Gastelum was incredibly aggressive again to open, but Adesanya shifted left and stayed out of trouble. Adesanya chopped the leg and then delivered a few straight punches that landed clean, but Gastelum would not go away. Gastelum continued to stalk from the center before shooting inside and looking for the takedown. Adesanya countered with a guillotine, but Gastelum slipped out of it after several very tense moments. As they hit the floor, Gastelum slipped to the top, but Adesanya threatened with a triangle choke and then an armbar in an amazing scramble. Gastelum pulled free, and the two returned to the feet.

On the restart, Adesanya went to work, peppering his opponent with stiff punches to the face. Gastelum absorbed them all and swung back, but it was clear the strikes were having an effect. Adesanya’s quick punches continued to score, and Gastelum failed on a takedown attempt. With time winding down, Gastelum moved forward. However, it was Adesanya’s punches that were true, and he again dropped his opponent with a little more than a minute remaining.

Gastelum refused to go away that easily, crawling to his feet and looking to attack. However, Adesanya was there to deliver more damage, bloodying Gastelum and sending him crashing to the canvas. Gastelum stood once again, but Adesanya was unrelenting and dropped him once again, finishing the final round with a barrage of punches on the floor. In the end, Adesanya was awarded the decision win and the interim title with scores of 48-46 across the board. He would then go to successful unify the titles with a second-round knockout of Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in October.

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