Paulo Costa Has To Lose A Serious Amount Of Weight Ahead Of Israel Adesanya Fight At UFC 253

MMA star Paulo Costa has two weeks to lose 25lbs ahead of fighting middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 253.

No.1 contender Costa takes on middleweight title holder Adesanya in Abu Dhabi on September 26.

And the Brazilian challenger has another fight on his hands before facing off against the Nigerian-born New Zealander in the shape of a brutal weight cut.

He told reporters that he currently weighs 210lbs ahead of competing in his first UFC championship bout.

But this is not unusual for Costa who says he walks around 200lbs on fight week before making weight.

The 29-year-old has never missed weight in the UFC, but there will be no single pound allowance.

He must make the championship limit of 185lbs for the first time in his UFC career.

If Costa fails to make weight, then No.3 ranked UFC middleweight Jared Cannonier is prepared to take his spot and face Adesanya at UFC 253.

"If anything happens with those guys, I'm more than willing and ready, that's my plan," he told MMA Fighting.

"That's the plan I have ahead of me. I'm getting ready for that date, Sept. 26.

"That's the date I'm getting ready for. If that doesn't happen, I'll be more than ready for Oct. 24."

Cannonier, who's scheduled to meet Robert Whittaker at UFC 254, added: "Given the times with COVID-19, we've seen fights change, main events change, what, 60 percent [of the time] was it last year from the original booking.

"That's where I stand right now. I'm more than ready. That's not going to be a hard weight cut.

"It's not going to be a last minute thing for me. I'm going to be ready for that date. That's just it."