Sean Strickland vs Paulo Costa (UFC 302): Sean Strickland Beats Paulo Costa By Split Decision
The co-main event of UFC 302 featured a highly anticipated middleweight duel over five rounds. Former middleweight champion Sean Strickland (28-6) returned to the Octagon against former title contender Paulo Costa (14-3) at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, looking to rebound from a loss to Dricus Du Plessis. “Tarzan” hoped to return to winning ways and preserve his position as the division’s top contender.
Costa, too, had lost his previous fight against former titleholder Robert Whittaker. After losing three of his last four fights, Costa was trying to remain relevant in his weight class.
Paulo Costa was once thought to represent the future of the middleweight category, with a 13-0 record, but injuries and a 1-3 skid have seriously hampered his career. Nonetheless, he remained a highly dangerous middleweight, and he hoped to demonstrate at UFC 302 that he is still one of the best fighters at 185 pounds.
After one round, neither man had landed any serious strikes to the head, instead opting for body and leg kicks. Strickland had a major moment in round two, delivering a hard punch that briefly dropped Costa to the canvas. While Costa immediately got back on his feet, the judges’ memories of that moment remained vivid.
The pace of the battle dropped significantly in the latter two rounds. Strickland scored another knockdown in the last seconds of the bout, although his attempted head kick was mostly blocked.
After five uninspiring rounds, Strickland won with scores of 46-49, 50-45, and 49-46.
“It was a boring fight, sorry guys,” Strickland admitted after the fight. “That Brazilian goes backward fast..”
Strickland stated a wish for a rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, but it’s difficult to imagine people clamouring for a rematch against Costa following his performance, since fans may be more interested in a rematch between Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya for the winner.
