UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa
United Arab Emirates
Main Card • Final
Nigeria
R2, 3:59
Title Fight
Performance of the Night
Brazil
Poland
R2, 4:36
Vacant Title Fight
Performance of the Night
United States
R2, 0:48
Fight of the Night
New Zealand
R3, 5:00
Canada
R3, 5:00
Russia
Prelims • Final
R3, 5:00
Australia
R3, 5:00
Slovakia
R1, 1:16
R3, 5:00
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Early Prelims • Final
Spain
R1, 3:48
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Vacant Title
$50k POTN
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Brandon Royval and Kai Kara-France each earned $50,000 for their wild, multi-knockdown flyweight shootout.
Performance of the Night: Israel Adesanya received $50,000 for dismantling undefeated challenger Paulo Costa via second-round TKO to defend his middleweight title.
Performance of the Night: Jan Blachowicz earned $50,000 for stopping Dominick Reyes with second-round punches to capture the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $600,000 | — | $50,000 | $650,000 | |
| WIN | $400,000 | — | $50,000 | $450,000 | |
| LOSS | $350,000 | — | — | $350,000 | |
| LOSS | $350,000 | — | — | $350,000 | |
| LOSS | $105,000 | — | — | $105,000 | |
| WIN | $45,000 | $45,000 | — | $90,000 | |
| WIN | $16,000 | $16,000 | $50,000 | $82,000 | |
| LOSS | $25,000 | — | $50,000 | $75,000 | |
| WIN | $33,000 | $33,000 | — | $66,000 | |
| WIN | $24,000 | $24,000 | — | $54,000 | |
| LOSS | $40,000 | — | — | $40,000 | |
| WIN | $14,000 | $14,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $24,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $20,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $18,000 | |
| WIN | $10,000 | $10,000 | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $20,000 | — | — | $14,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $12,000 |
*Because this event took place behind closed doors at Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, official athletic commission paperwork is not published publicly. Disclosed figures are based on verified industry contracts and event reports. Both Zubaira Tukhugov and Ludovit Klein forfeited a percentage of their show purses to their opponents (Hakeem Dawodu and Shane Young) for missing weight at 150 lbs. Total estimated figures include official post-fight performance bonuses ($50,000 each) and exclude discretionary backroom bonuses or pay-per-view dividends.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 253
Israel Adesanya (19-0) vs. Paulo Costa (13-0) marked just the second time in UFC history two undefeated male fighters met for a championship, following Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in 2009.
Jan Blachowicz became the first male Polish champion in UFC history and only the second Polish fighter to hold promotional gold, following former strawweight queen Joanna Jędrzejczyk.
Blachowicz’s knockout victory crowned the first light heavyweight champion other than Jon Jones or Daniel Cormier since March 19, 2011—ending a legendary 3,479-day promotional stretch.
Israel Adesanya landed 26 of 27 leg kick attempts (96.3%) in under two rounds against Paulo Costa, establishing one of the most efficient leg-kick offensive clinics in UFC title fight history.
Adesanya preserved his pristine professional MMA record, improving to 20-0 overall and 9-0 in the UFC while completing his second consecutive undisputed title defense.
Brandon Royval and Kai Kara-France traded 3 official knockdowns in 5 minutes and 48 seconds, setting a modern standard for fastest multi-knockdown flyweight contests in Octagon history.
Juan Espino submitted Jeff Hughes at 3:48 of round one using a scarf hold choke, becoming only the third fighter in UFC history to pull off the rare submission inside the Octagon.
Ludovit Klein made history as the very first Slovakian mixed martial artist to step inside the Octagon, scoring an explosive 76-second head kick knockout over Shane Young.
Jake Matthews outlanded UFC original Diego Sanchez 72-25 in significant strikes and earned unanimous 30-26 scorecards from all three cageside judges.
Adesanya outlanded Costa 55 to 12 in significant strikes (+43 differential), establishing the largest strike margin in a middleweight title stoppage lasting two rounds or fewer.
UFC 253 launched the UFC’s second international Fight Island residency on Yas Island, holding high-stakes championship action within an engineered quarantine safety zone.
UFC 253 generated an estimated 700,000 pay-per-view buys globally, ranking as one of the most commercially viewed non-stadium pay-per-view broadcasts of 2020.
When and where did UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa take place?
UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa took place on Saturday, September 26, 2020 (early morning September 27 local time), inside the Flash Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Who won the main event between Israel Adesanya and Paulo Costa?
Israel Adesanya defeated Paulo Costa via TKO (punches) at 3:59 of Round 2 to retain the undisputed UFC Middleweight Championship.
Who won the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 253?
Jan Blachowicz defeated Dominick Reyes via TKO (punches) at 4:36 of Round 2 to claim the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
Why was the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship vacant at UFC 253?
Longtime champion Jon Jones officially vacated the 205-pound title on August 17, 2020, to pursue a move up to the heavyweight division.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC 253?
Four fighters earned $50,000 bonuses: Brandon Royval vs. Kai Kara-France (Fight of the Night), while Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz earned Performance of the Night honors.
Why was Adesanya vs. Costa considered a historic title matchup?
It marked only the second time in UFC history that two undefeated male fighters met for an undisputed championship belt (Adesanya 19-0 vs. Costa 13-0), following Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida at UFC 98 in 2009.
What was the live gate and attendance for UFC 253?
Because the event was held behind closed doors during the COVID-19 pandemic inside the Flash Forum bubble on Fight Island, there was no ticketed attendance and a $0 live gate.
How did Brandon Royval defeat Kai Kara-France at UFC 253?
Brandon Royval locked in a tight guillotine choke submission at 0:48 of Round 2 following an action-packed, back-and-forth opening frame that featured knockdowns from both flyweights.
Who made history as the first Slovakian fighter in the UFC at UFC 253?
Ludovit Klein became the first Slovakian athlete to compete in the UFC, scoring a 76-second knockout via head kick and punches over Shane Young.
Why did Zubaira Tukhugov and Ludovit Klein fight at catchweights?
Both Tukhugov and Klein weighed in at 150 pounds, four pounds over the featherweight non-title limit. Both forfeited a percentage of their show purses to opponents Hakeem Dawodu and Shane Young.
Who was on the broadcast and commentary team for UFC 253?
The event was called by cageside commentators Jon Anik and Paul Felder, with Bruce Buffer serving as the official Octagon announcer.
How many pay-per-view buys did UFC 253 generate?
UFC 253 generated an estimated 700,000 pay-per-view buys worldwide, making it one of the most successful combat sports pay-per-view broadcasts of 2020.
How did Juan Espino defeat Jeff Hughes at UFC 253?
Heavyweight Juan Espino executed a rare scarf hold choke submission from side control at 3:48 of Round 1, marking only the third such finish in promotional history.
What was the official score in Jake Matthews vs. Diego Sanchez?
Jake Matthews defeated Diego Sanchez via unanimous decision with identical 30–26 scorecards across all three judges.
What was the significance of Fight Island for UFC 253?
UFC 253 kicked off the UFC’s Return to Fight Island, a five-event series hosted at the Flash Forum on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi to accommodate international fighters during worldwide travel restrictions.
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