Salt LAKE CITY, UTAH – AUGUST 20: Brazil’s Paulo Costa (bottom) competes with Luke of the United States during the UFC 278 middleweight bout at Vivent Arena on August 20, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah · Rockhold (top) fight. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
See how the MMA community reacts to the crazy romance between Paul Costa and Luke Rockhold at UFC 278, which turns out to be Rockhold’s last
Paul Costa and Luke Rockhold traded big barbs ahead of their UFC 278 co-main event, and the two had a memorable bout that ended up as Rockhold retirement battle.
Unfortunately for Rockhold, Costa stood out by deciding.
Costa locked on Rockhold early and delivered a couple of devastating blows, dealing damage to Rockhold. Costa then scored and landed more, but he fell victim to a guillotine attempt after entering the mountain.
Rockhold fired the bout in the second fight, but he was caught again by Costa’s punch. Rockhold tried to gain the grapple advantage, but he dropped his support for Costa. The two went back to center and swapped big shots, with Rockhold aiming for the body, Costa hoping to land upstairs – and Rockhold looking more gassy. Costa appeared to have won the second fight, but referee Mike Beltran determined that Costa’s uppercut fell in the groin. Round three, but Costa quickly resumed the fight and dropped more damaging shots on a tired Rockhold. Rockhold caught Costa’s attention with a couple of powerful shots, but he was too tired to make the most of it. Costa Rica is jam-packed with Rockhold’s demolition. The fight was still on the ground, but in the final seconds, Rockhold got to the top and wiped Costa’s nosebleed from his face.
All three referees scored for Costa 30-27.
UFC 278: Twitter Paul Costa vs. Luke Rockhold
Luke Rockhold is a psychopath, this guy is just in Costa Rica wiped his whole ass bloody face
I can’t believe I just witnessed this fight
— Ahmed/INeedHer.eth 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) August 21, 2022
— Aaron Brooks (@AaronThatisall) August 21, 2022
— tru💤 (@BigTruzzEra) August 21, 2022
exist After starting his MMA career 8-0, Costa won his first five UFC fights, beating Johnny Hendricks, Uriah Hall and Joel Romero. Costa Rica challenged Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 253, but ended in the second round. Costa dropped his decision on Marvin Vittori in his most recent bout before tonight – a bout at light heavyweight due to Costa’s weight.
The fight marked Rockhold’s first fight in more than three years, and the last time he won a light heavyweight bout at UFC 239 Lost to Jan Blachowicz in a knockout bout. After defeating Chris Weidman at UFC 194 for the UFC middleweight title, Rockhold dropped three of his last four fights to make it to UFC 278.
UFC 278: Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edward Here’s where the game will be broadcast live on Saturday, August 20, 2022, from the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah. Follow all your news and highlights with the live FanSided MMA.
