Zuffa LLC
The highly anticipated – and highly significant – middleweight title fight between champ Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa was certainly exciting – but not anywhere near as competitive as expected.
Adesanya delivered a master class in striking performance, dismantling Costa with kicks before turning up the tempo in the second round and landing a punch that floored the Brazilian and set up a second-round TKO.
In the co-headliner, Jan Blachowicz captured the light heavyweight title left vacant by Jon Jones with a dominant win over Dominick Reyes. One-time title challenger Reyes never got out of second gear and wound up getting caught by Blachowicz in the second round, leading to a TKO that delivered the title to the Polish vet. Immediately afterward, Blachowicz called out Jones, who’s expected to move up to heavyweight.
Here’s what pros had to say about UFC 253.
Israel Adesanya stops Paulo Costa
Hey Costa, fuck off
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Damn @HenryCejudo has real competition…
— Big Ben Rothwell (@RothwellFighter) September 27, 2020
Damn that was pure perfection!!
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouse) September 27, 2020
We No Dey Carry Last ✊ @stylebender @ufc #UFC253
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) September 27, 2020
A BEAUTIFUL striking display by @stylebender ! Made it look easy! #ufc253 #ufcfightisland
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) September 27, 2020
Wow! Not even close man! What a performance from Adesanya! This man will be champ for a LONG time, as long as Father Time allows it! #UFC253
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) September 27, 2020
A master class from the middleweight KING ?! #UFC253
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) September 27, 2020
Wow there’s levels to this @stylebender the best in the #UFC253
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) September 27, 2020
The skinny clown can fight
— Eryk Anders (@erykanders) September 27, 2020
I still want to see Izzy vs Bones
— “Young Superstar” (@Benaskren) September 27, 2020
WOW!!! Flawless Performance! Straight Killer #UFC253
— BRYAN BARBERENA (@bryan_barberena) September 27, 2020
That was the best performance I have ever seen in a mixed martial arts fight. Holy moly. @stylebender
— Ryan Hall (@ryanhall5050) September 27, 2020
Make it look easy again. Damn that boys good @stylebender
— Sodiq Yusuff (@Super_Sodiq) September 27, 2020
This is crazy to see Izzy just styling’ in the octagon right now! And on Paulo Costa?! Only 2 RDs but these were the RDs Costa needed to land big damage going into the later RDs #UFC253
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) September 27, 2020
Adddeeeesaaannnnya!!! #UFCFightIsland #UFC253
— Max Griffin (@MaxPainGriffin) September 27, 2020
He did him in the booty #UFC253 thats something you get stabbed for
— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) September 27, 2020
Damn he folded like a lawn chair #UFC253
— Drakkar Klose (@drakkarklose) September 27, 2020
At some point Paulo has to open up. Can’t win a fight like this
— Baldy Ed (@brianboom135) September 27, 2020
Leg kicks don’t work aye!! #ufc253
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) September 27, 2020
Costa done with the antics yet?
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Those calf kicks are painful #UFC253
— Bonecrusher ☠️ (@Marc_Diakiese) September 27, 2020
Maybe challenge Neil Armstrong in a race to the moon while you’re at it, “Mr. Yesterday’s News”
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) September 27, 2020
What’s up with Izzy right tit
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
What’s up with Adesanya’s right pec?? Old injury?
— “Young Superstar” (@Benaskren) September 27, 2020
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) September 27, 2020
Israel looks like he has got some swelling in his right tittie! #UFC253
— Ian Heinisch (@ianheinischmma) September 27, 2020
I’m geeked out of my mind right now #UFC253 pic.twitter.com/m45InQUeFF
— Julian marquez (@JMarquezMMA) September 27, 2020
It’s about to go down. Bout to take some notes and steal some moves from the master Ninja @stylebender https://t.co/lG5AFeuvUO
— Greg “The Prince of War” Hardy (@GregHardyJr) September 27, 2020
Let’s goooooooo!!! @stylebender
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) September 27, 2020
Jan Blachowicz captures the vacant belt against Dominick Reyes
Well fuck! Gotta pull the trigger!!! Nothing left to do but get back up. Congrats to Jan, hell of a performance. #UFC253 #justgettingstarted
— Dominick Reyes (@DomReyes) September 27, 2020
#ANDNEW @JanBlachowicz Ladies and Gentlemen we love ya champ #UFC253
— Joanna Jedrzejczyk (@joannamma) September 27, 2020
Be cocky eat cocky
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Congratulations @JanBlachowicz and his team.
— Corey ‘Overtime’ Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) September 27, 2020
Apple Valley Champ, keep your head up
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Congrats Champ @JanBlachowicz would be an awesome fight with @JonnyBones
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) September 27, 2020
I’m gonna need some Dominic bandwagon Memes
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Congrats to new champ Blachowicz!! Sucks to see Reyes go out like that after a very controversial loss to Jones
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) September 27, 2020
Who mad?
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Congrats @JanBlachowicz Now let me work on getting your or my wish fulfilled! #ufc253
— Thiago Marreta (@TMarretaMMA) September 27, 2020
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Polish power
— Baldy Ed (@brianboom135) September 27, 2020
BULLSHIT STOPPAGE!!! God Dang let these guys fight!!!
— Sam Alvey (@smilensam) September 27, 2020
Dominic nose is broke
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Reyes body got Raw Dawg
— Big Ben Rothwell (@RothwellFighter) September 27, 2020
Jan forcing Dominic to go first
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
That one will hurt when you take a shower tonight #UFC253
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) September 27, 2020
Crazy we made it to a second round in this fight!
— Matt Brown (@IamTheImmortal) September 27, 2020
Left kick to the body seems open all day
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
beautiful first round by Jan
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Hard to score round. I’m going 1-0 Jan
— “Young Superstar” (@Benaskren) September 27, 2020
Wowww look at Reyes rib hurts just looking at it !! #UFC253
— Charles Rosa (@CharlesRosaMMA) September 27, 2020
My prediction, I just know that want to fight with the winner one day #UFC253
— Johnny Walker (@JohnnyWalker) September 27, 2020
100% sure we’ll be saying AND NEW after this fight ! #UFC253
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) September 27, 2020
Next fight absolutely interesting for me! #ufc253
— Thiago Marreta (@TMarretaMMA) September 27, 2020
Weird right?
— BONY (@JonnyBones) September 27, 2020
Brandon Royval submits Kai-Kara France
Guillotine recognize guillotine #ufc253
— Baldy Ed (@brianboom135) September 27, 2020
I don’t even know what’s going on… but I like it and I’m excited #ufc253
— Julian marquez (@JMarquezMMA) September 27, 2020
WTF. I blinked FUCK
— Big Ben Rothwell (@RothwellFighter) September 27, 2020
Yooooo this fight is insane ten seconds in! Wow! #UFC253
— Walt Harris (@thebigticket205) September 27, 2020
Dangit I just blinked
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) September 27, 2020
Everyone is so angry walking out tonight #UFC253
— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) September 27, 2020
Man we still got 2 more fights that can go 25 minutes gonna be all fucking night man. #UFCFightIsland #ineedsomesleep
— khama worthy (@thedeathstar_1) September 27, 2020
Ketlen Vieira outpoints Sijara Eubanks
Damnnn these ladies killed it tonight!! S/O to Sijara for stepping up on short notice too after fighting a couple weeks ago!! Warrior #UFC253
— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) September 27, 2020
Great fights ladies #UFC253
— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) September 27, 2020
Ladies are banging
— Chito Vera (@chitoveraUFC) September 27, 2020
Best cornering EVER “Just hit her” #UFC253
— Big Ben Rothwell (@RothwellFighter) September 27, 2020
Man Viera hits hard.
— “Young Superstar” (@Benaskren) September 27, 2020
Welp. Wish I could’ve kept it standing. Good point round for both.
— Julia Avila (@RagingPandaMMA) September 27, 2020
Hakeem Dawodu wins split over Zubaira Tukhugov
— Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) September 27, 2020
Damn Tukhugov backpedelled the whole third round. I still have no idea who the judges are gonna pick.
— “Young Superstar” (@Benaskren) September 27, 2020
This is amazing !! No cursing just knock each other out !!
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) September 27, 2020
Dawodu needs a finish. He lost 1 and 2 was close but finished on bottom, risking the judges decision will really be rolling the dice. @ufc #UFC253
— Devin Powell (@DevinPowellMMA) September 27, 2020
Ref: “No cussing in here” #UFC253 #UFCFightIsland
— Julio Arce (@JArceTSMMA) September 27, 2020
MEAN HAKEEM love that energy #UFC253
— Niko Price (@Nikohybridprice) September 27, 2020
that screaming walk down was cool as sh#t!!
— Sam Alvey (@smilensam) September 27, 2020