Adesanya seeks redemption against Costa as UFC returns to Fight Island

The wait is over, quarantine is completed, and it’s time for the main event. UFC Fight Island is back in Abu Dhabi and some of the world’s best fighters are ready to put on a return to Fight Island to remember, starting with UFC 253 Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa on Sunday.

After Adesanya finally took up mixed martial arts full-time three years ago, he rocketed through the UFC ranks with a thrilling, athletic style of fighting. He even became an undisputed champion in just his 18th professional bout.

But a few days before the coronavirus pandemic upended the sporting world, Adesanya looked nothing like a superstar in his first title defence.

Six months after his desultory win over Yoel Romero in Las Vegas, Adesanya (19-0, 14 KOs) is on the other side of the globe to defend his middleweight belt against longtime antagonist Costa (13-0, 11 KOs) in the main event.

Adesanya couldn’t seize the spotlight against Romero, but he vows to amaze the world against Costa, another musclebound opponent who seems a challenging target for Adesanya’s otherworldly striking ability.

“I feel like that was the valley of my story, and now it’s time to rise again,” Adesanya said. “This is my time, and this one is going to shoot me into the stratosphere.”

At UFC 248 in March, a patient, boring performance against a nearly inert Romero kept the Nigeria-born, New Zealand-based Adesanya from taking the quantum leap to international stardom that he and the UFC expected.

Instead, the voluble champion spent more time explaining why he hadn’t thrilled his fans – and sparring with Costa, who jumped at the chance to needle Adesanya on social media.

Adesanya’s chance at redemption comes against another unbeaten contender whose rise in the UFC has been even quicker. The supremely powerful Costa needed only five UFC bouts to earn a title shot, although the Brazilian was nearly 26 when he joined the promotion.

Costa and Adesanya have sparred online, but been polite when they meet in person, according to both fighters – yet they go right back to trash-talking each other when they part.

“He’s insecure,” Adesanya said of Costa. “That’s why we’re fighting each other. We get to fight. Someone that you’ve been barking at behind the fence, when you see them, what do you do? ... I’ve just said I don’t like the guy, and I don’t like the way he looks. It’s never personal, but the difference is I get to settle it this weekend.”

The main event is the most attractive fight by far on the card at UFC 253, the first of five consecutive UFC shows in its secure bubble in the Middle East.

Light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes returns against Jan Blachowitz in the co-main event on a card also featuring crowd-pleasing flyweights Kai Kara-France and Brandon Royval, along with the 43rd professional fight of Diego Sanchez.

Adesanya excels at the verbal business of fight promotion along with his skills inside the cage, and he hasn’t backed down from Costa’s declarations that the champion is an overhyped, underskilled athletic freak who can’t handle truly physical 185-pound fighters. If Adesanya can back up his words with a highlight-reel victory, that leap to stardom should be a small hop.

The lantern-jawed Costa is a daunting challenge for anyone, however. He has stopped 12 of his 13 MMA opponents by knockout or submission, with only Romero taking him the distance in their spectacular slugfest in August 2019. Costa has been inactive since then, waiting for his title shot.

Costa’s power seems even more dangerous than Romero’s famous punching prowess, but Costa doesn’t rely solely on waiting for a counterpunching opportunity. Adesanya will undoubtedly be forced to fight, and Costa thinks the champ won’t be able to handle it.

“I have a lot of power, so I feel like I can finish this fight anytime I want to,” Costa said. “He’s fake. He’s a good actor, but a fake guy.”

Ahead of the highly anticipated event, fighters praised the level of safety and hospitality in the UAE capital.

“Man, the hospitality here is amazing. I love this place. It’s really amazing what has been done. Everybody is together and everybody is safe. This is very hard to do. I’m ready (for UFC 253), thank you Abu Dhabi,” said Costa.

“I feel privileged because it feels like this whole island, Yas Island, has shut down because of the UFC and I’m the headliner. And I feel like in the crazy time we are in, it is pretty awesome that we’re able to do this in Abu Dhabi,” commented opponent Adesanya.

Russian athlete Zubaira Tukhugov is back to the scene of his victory at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Showdown Week in September 2019 and is ready to face Canada’s Hakeem Dawodu on the main card.

“Asalamu Alaikum, firstly thank you so much Abu Dhabi for your hospitality. I really like it here. It is like my second home. Thank you so much for the service, food, everything. Thank you. We are here in the safe zone. This is very good for fighters,” said Tukhugov.