A fight that has more on the line than just a UFC championship is a very rare occurrence inside the octagon. However, the UFC middleweight championship bout that is definitely going to happen before years end between reigning champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Paulo Costa has something on the line that is equally as important to both of these fighters.
For the 1st time in the history of the middleweight championship, both combatants will make the walk to the octagon with undefeated professional records, and yes, that’s a big deal!
Losing is part of this sport. When 2 athletes make it to a title fight and both of them are undefeated, that is truly saying something about the caliber of fighter that will step into the octagon to make their respective run at the championship!
Costa will make the walk to challenge for the championship with a perfect record of 13 wins and 0 losses, including 11 victories by knockout, one by submission and only once has he needed the judges to secure the win.
Across the octagon from him, that night will be the reigning, defending, undisputed, undefeated UFC middleweight champion of the world with a perfect record of 19 wins and 0 losses Israel Adesanya.
Nobody likes losing. No fighter I know wants to lose even though most accept the fact that the reality of them losing is more likely than the reality of them completing their career undefeated!
When a fighter goes deep into their career undefeated that 1st loss can be devastating, and if that 1st loss is in a championship bout, It certainly has to feel like losing twice in one night one would think!
In this bout the champion, Adesanya seemingly has more to lose. He ascended to the top of this sport undefeated and became world champion. To lose his belt and his undefeated record on the same night could completely change his career trajectory!
Costa, on the other hand, has a lot to lose himself. He is a proud athlete and takes pride in his undefeated record. I actually think as much as the title means to him he would be just as disappointed if not more so losing his perfect record, with maybe a slight feeling of consolation in the fact that if he loses, he lost to another undefeated fighter in a bout for the title.
Both Adesanya and Costa also share Yoel Romero as their last opponent prior to them facing one another, and interestingly enough both of them beat Romero but needed the distance to do it.
A huge title fight that already has the world buzzing because of the potential of pure unbridled violence from both athletes and then you add into the mix that one of them will go home with the 1st loss in their career, this will be must-see TV!
I can not wait for the official announcement of when and where this fight will take place!
Christopher James has been in the MMA industry for 15 years, Working as a ring announcer for promotions like the XFC, Island Fights, Combat Night and Fight Nights Global during his career. Chris’ love for the sport and the athletes that partake in it led him to writing and doing face to face interviews with the athletes he admired and respected. Chris isn’t conventional by any stretch of the imagination, he has his own style, and takes pride in not being a “cookie-cutter” member of the media. Unique and sometimes controversial takes are what he brings to the table, forcing folks to think a little differently about the world of MMA. He also has a love for music as he has been a dj for 25 years and his love for music gets brought to the MMA world when he gets his guests to sing on his weekly show Cage Side with Christopher James which can be seen Wednesday nights on FACEBOOK LIVE, and soon via podcast.