UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa odds and preview

One of the UFC's top pound-for-pound talents faces off against a surging contender in a high-stakes showdown as Israel Adesanya faces Paulo Costa in the main event of UFC 253.

Can Adesanya halt the rise of a brutal striker who has blasted his way to the top? Or will this be the night Costa establishes his championship pedigree?

BetAmerica has betting odds and the pick for Adesanya vs. Costa on Saturday, Sept. 26 from UFC’s Fight Island.

Adesanya is looking to redeem himself

A quick look at the odds shows that the MMA collective still has the sour taste in their mouth left by Adesanya after his horrid performance against Yoel Romero in his last fight. That dreadful fight hurt his momentum, and that is one of the reasons the line for this bout is painstakingly close. Make no mistake here, Adesanya has more going for him than the odds suggest.

Costa is short on experience, but long on grit

His striking selection, defense and footwork eclipse Costa’s. If anything, Costa’s game plan plays right into the champion's capable hands by staying a stationary target hoping to land a big shot. For as strong as Romero was, he never troubled Adesanya or threatened to take over the pacing of the bout. Costa doesn’t have the experience, but instead has grit.

The muscular colossus isn’t built to do anything else aside from pouncing and striking. Costa has only gone the distance once, a decision win over Romero, with this being his first five rounder. Questions linger on Costa’s conditioning, especially when he’s going from a brawler like Romero to an elusive opponent like Adesanya.

Adesanya isn’t going to make the mistake of standing toe-to-toe with Costa. If he does opt to slug it out, he’ll try taking Costa down or wrap him up to break his momentum. He may not even have to resort to that. Costa is going to give Adesanya all the chances he’ll need to pile up the points by charging in, looking for a big shot.

Costa can't touch Adesanya

The champ isn’t at the point where a fighter like Costa can beat him. All Adesanya has to do is to stay in motion, keep Costa on the end of his jab and leg kicks, and not be afraid to stand his ground once things get dusty. Take the odds on Adesanya when they’re still this low, and cash in when he wins via dominant decision.

MMA pick: Adesanya