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Israel Adesanya (Jason Burgos/Sherdog.com)
Israel Adesanya Odds-On to Beat Paulo Costa Ahead of Much Anticipated Clash
The clash between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa is one of the most anticipated bouts that we have seen for some time. The pair are set to headline UFC 253, which will be taking place on the 27th September. This will see the organisation return to Fight Island, which is situated on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Also, on the card will see Dominick Reyes take on Jan Blachowicz, with the former looking to return to winning ways, following the controversial defeat to Jon Jones. The event was previously scheduled for September 19th but has since been moved to this new date.
This main event has long been in the waiting and fans are really looking forward to the pair facing off. Israel Adesanya is the general 8/13 favourite to win the bout, with Costa available at 27/20. This shows just how close it is between the pair and difficult to call, going into the fight. Both will also be bringing in unbeaten records, which further adds to the interest ahead of the contest. UFC will continue its successful return from the pandemic and remains a very popular event in the sports betting market, as it also looks to rival online horse betting. The latter remains a leading force in the industry, with events now taking place each week, since returning at a later date from the UFC.
The 31-year-old, Nigerian born Adesanya, is bringing in a professional record of 19 wins and no losses. He is the current Middleweight champion, and this is why he also ranks at fourth in the Men's pound for pound rankings. Putting him behind Stipe Miocic, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Jon Jones. Since joining the UFC, he has won eight fights in succession and firmly established himself as one of the leading fighters in the sport. This includes victories over the likes of Anderson Silva, Kelvin Gastelum, Robert Whittaker and most recently Yoel Romero. A victory over Costa will firmly stamp him as the best middleweight in the world.
Israel Adesanya just changed the walkout game @stylebender #UFC243 pic.twitter.com/fyj6zHuqCd
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 6, 2019
However, Costa is set to be a major challenge and is the current number two contender in the division, putting him only behind Robert Whittaker. The Brazilian is 29 years of age and also brings in an unbeaten record of 13 wins, without loss. He made his debut in the UFC back in 2017 and has since won five fights in succession, which is why he is now fighting for the title. This includes victories over the likes of Johny Hendricks, Uriah Hall and Yoel Romero.
There is no doubting that they both have impressive records but Adesanya has beaten more top tier fighters and is the current champion. That is why he enters as the betting favourite and will be expected to retain his title later this month.
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