UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Paulo Costa went into their main event at UFC 253 on Saturday night undefeated, with a series of violent collisions. “The Last Stylebender” landed 24 shots to the head, “The Eraser” landed two. At the post fight press conference, UFC president Dana White was baffled.

So much for ‘Fight of the Year’ – it was ‘Domination of the Year,’ said White ruefully. It was weird because if you look at every other fight that Costa has had, he comes out and goes after people like they owe him money. I think he landed one jab in this fight. He didn’t try to clinch on the fence, didn’t try to put pressure, kept going back to the center of the Octagon. It was very weird.

Look at the way he fought Yoel Romero, one of the most dangerous guys ever, and then he stays on the outside, taking damage to that front leg, White said. Then when he does rush in and get him up against the cage, he backs out to the center of the cage again. Never tried to get in the clinch. I think he only landed one jab, didn’t really throw any punches when [Adesanya] threw kicks. It was very weird. I just sat there going, ‘Holy f***.’ Obviously, Adesanya went to work, pieced him piece by piece, made it look really easy.

No matter what … Adesnaya put on a clinic. The first three calf kicks busted up his leg and got him right in the side of the knee – had a huge welt on the side of the knee, and then the shin to the eye and just absolutely dismantled him. Easily won the fight.

h/t Danny Segura and John Morgan for MMA Junkie