It has been revealed that the Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa rematch is in the works for UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi on October 25.
Adesanya knocked Costa out at UFC 253 back in September 2020, with a rematch now reportedly targeted for later this year in a compelling middleweight contest.
Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa Rematch In The Works For UFC 321
Although unconfirmed, it looks like Israel Adesanya’s next fight will be a rematch with former foe Paulo Costa at UFC 321 on October 25 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
For now the middleweight rematch is just in the works, with no official confirmation from UFC President Dana White that the fight is actually signed just yet.
If Adesanya vs Costa 2 does get made official in due course, it will land on the UFC 321 main card, perhaps even as the co-main event to Tom Aspinall vs Ciryl Gane for the UFC Heavyweight Title.
Given the fact he won the first fight almost five years ago via emphatic knockout in Round 2, UFC betting sites will likely list ‘The Last Stylebender’ as a relatively heavy pre-fight favourite to beat the Brazilian for a second time.
That being said, Adesanya hasn’t won inside the octagon since UFC 287. This was when he knocked out Alex Pereira to reclaim the 185-pound belt, but has since lost three consecutive fights.
Costa on the other hand looked great in July with a unanimous decision victory over Roman Kopylov at UFC 318. If he can replicate that kind of performance, he may well be capable of beating this version of ‘Izzy’.
Expect official confirmation on the Adesanya vs Costa rematch in the coming weeks, with UFC 321 targeted for their second dance. It could well land as the UFC 321 co-main event prior to Aspinall vs Gane at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 25.
🚨BREAKING: Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa 2 is Officially in the Works for #UFC321 at The Etihad Arena In Abu Dhabi On October 25, 2025. pic.twitter.com/AFqV7bskrZ
— Octagon Pulse | UFC MEDIA🚨 (@OctagonPulse) August 19, 2025
Who Will Be The Adesanya vs Costa 2 Favourite At UFC 321?
Israel Adesanya’s record is still almightily impressive, despite losing his last three contests. Prior to his losing run, Adesanya won seven UFC Middleweight Title fights during his tenure as champion.
This included wins over two-division champion Alex Pereira, Robert Whittaker twice and Yoel Romero too. The 36-year-old also boasts victories over Anderson Silva, who is widely recognised as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, and Kelvin Gastelum too.
Despite his poor run of form over the past three fights, on his day ‘The Last Stylebender’ is capable of beating anybody. Should he get back to anywhere near his best for this UFC 321 clash with Paulo Costa, the majority of fans would expect the Nigerian-New Zealander to win again.
With that in mind, Adesanya will likely be listed as the pre-fight favourite to beat ‘Borrachinha’ for a second time in the UFC 321 co-main event on October 25 in Abi Dhabi, UAE.
If he does, this would throw the former long-reigning 185-pound king right back into the title hunt. Adesanya is currently ranked as the #4 contender at middleweight, with Costa down in 12th.
With Khamzat Chimaev now the new middleweight champion, a win here for Adesanya could throw him right back into the title hunt. If he is impressive against the Brazilian and secures another stoppage, he could well be granted the Chimaev title fight early next year.
It’s more likely that ‘The Last Stylebender’ will need two wins before another UFC Middleweight Title shot. Beating Paulo Costa first would be a huge step in the right direction, before a possible final eliminator at some stage in 2026.
Time will tell what happens on fight night as Adesanya vs Costa looks to feature on the UFC 321 main card in Abu Dhabi on October 25.
