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The top two middleweights finally meet when Israel Adesanya defends his UFC title against Paulo Costa at UFC 253 tonight.
Two undefeated fighters will face off with gold at stake and with Adesanya’s skill and Costa’s fearsome power, there are arguments in favor of both men.
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Adesanya is one of the most technically gifted fighters in the UFC and defends his undefeated record, and middleweight crown, at UFC 253.
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Costa is also undefeated and the physically imposing Brazilian is ready to unleash his full power in Abu Dhabi.
Someone has to lose his pristine record and only one man can get away with the belt, so who will it be?
Here, fighters past and present have something to say, starting with the man Adesanya took the middleweight belt from …
Robert Whittaker
“I think Adesanya has the skills to beat Costa, but he just got that X factor. Same with Yoel. [Romero]. Big, powerful, cardio, chin… hard to tell.
“I’d probably go for Costa, but if I was a gambling man I’d probably go with Adesanya, but I think Costa would make good money too.”
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Costa dropped Romero with a short, sweet left hook to the jaw in their 2019 middleweight fight.
I am askren
“I like it because they are both giving it back. I’m enjoying the trash talk. I really like the fight.
“From a competitive standpoint it’s great because they’re both undefeated and Costa had a very close fight with Romero – well, I guess they both had a close fight with Romero.
“I think Adesanya is going to win. That is just my feeling. It’s going to hit her, she’ll move a little better, that’s my feeling. But, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m wrong. “
Ben Askren favors Adesanya
Leon edwards
I think Izzy. I think Izzy does.
“Costa is good for two rounds, he is dangerous for two or three rounds, but then he runs out and slows down.
“It will be a good fight, an entertaining fight. But I think Izzy will be too strong for him and lead him to something and Izzy will get the win. “
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Leon Edwards backs Adesanya to retain his title and undefeated record
Stephen Thompson
“I don’t consider Paulo Costa a technical forward at all. He is a fighter. You see him do it over and over again, it breaks people.
“For some reason, for a guy who’s so big and broken, he has cardio for days. When he beat Uriah Hall, he mentally broke him. He gave up out there.
“Of course, you are not going to break Yoel Romero and those guys fought more or less the same. They just went ahead and lunged for the fences. But someone like Izzy Adesanya? He has the potential to take this guy down in the second or third round.
Stephen Thompson, right, doesn’t think much of Paulo Costa
“Izzy is a counterattack. Wait for the guys to make the mistakes and take advantage of it. I think this fits perfectly into her game plan.
“Costa is aggressive and balanced. He has a lot of movement and big loops in his shots, which is perfect for a guy like Izzy who did the same with Robert Whittaker, who I think is faster than Costa.
“The only thing about Costa is that it is resistant. Very durable It is very difficult to finish.
“So if Izzy can wear him down in the first round or two, I feel like he can take him out with counterattacks. I have Izzy winning that fight. “
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Kelvin Gastelum, who lost a five-round classic to Adesanya in 2019, revealed that the champion is the hardest hitter he has ever faced.
Vitor Belfort
“Costa used to be in my camp. He’s a very strong guy, a tough guy. It’s very tough.
“You have a boy in Adesanya who is very cunning, very clumsy and different. But I think Israel does not have good hands. He has a mixture of hands and feet, but he is not a good boxer.
“Costa has very good hands. She learned many things from me. He is a great boxer. I think he has a chance, but if the fight goes through the third round, I think it goes to Israel.
“That is what people like, two forwards and we know that we should not wait for the fight on the ground and that is what sells.
“Remember, it’s not MMA, it’s a combat sport, so you are both combat athletes. They like the strike and that’s what it sells ”.
2019 Carmen Mandate
Adesanya will retain his belt if Costa’s fight goes beyond three rounds, according to Belfort
Dominick Reyes
“I have Izzy winning.
“He has a huge reach advantage and he knows how to use his reach and he also has extremely good footwork.
“Paulo is kind of a hard-working, straight-board fighter and Izzy moves well and early. So everyone knows what happens when you take on a straight fighter versus a fighter who moves well. “
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Reyes is on the UFC 253 undercard to face Jan Blachowicz in his first fight since his loss to Jon Jones.
Dan hooker
“Israel, the easiest fight of the night. I think he’s just going to hit Costa. I think it’s going to be a one-sided screech. He is a slow and muscular forward. If you were designing a character to do badly against Israel, that would be it.
“A big, strong and limited striker who is going to walk forward and eat shots.
“If I could design a character for Israel to yell at her ass, it would be pretty close. I just don’t think his skill set is in the purview of Rob Whittaker and Israel Adesanya. “
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