Israel Adesanya kicks Paulo Costa. Photo / Getty
UFC fighter Paulo Costa has admitted he was probably drunk during his UFC 253 title defeat to Kiwi Israel Adesanya in the UAE last year.
Adesanya outclassed Costa to win by TKO in the second round, handing the Brazilian his first professional loss in emphatic fashion.
Costa admitted on his YouTube channel that he over-indulged the night before the fight to combat issues with getting to sleep.
"I was a little drunk when I fought. Maybe I had a little hangover," Costa said.
"I couldn't sleep because of the leg cramps. I remember that the fight was at 9 in the morning and we had to get up at 5 in the morning to prepare, stretch, bandage our hands," he went on.
"The UFC told us to get up to at 5 in the morning to go to the arena where we fought. I did not fall asleep until 2.30am.
"It was my fault and I don't blame anyone else for it. It was something I chose myself, but I had to sleep because I hadn't done it in the last 24 hours.
"I drank wine. Lots of wine. A whole bottle of wine to fall asleep. I had one drink and it didn't work. Two drinks and it didn't work. Half the bottle and it didn't work. And in the end I drank it all."
As it happened: All the action from UFC 253
Adesanya moved to 20-0 for his career when he had little trouble with normally aggressive Costa, who was appearing in his first UFC main event. Adesanya went to low kicks on Costa's lead leg early, and as Costa made next to no attempt to check them, Adesanya kept going to it.
After seemingly cruising through round one, Adesanya implemented a similar plan in the second, battering Costa's lead leg before threatening low and throwing high. It worked to perfection, as Adesanya clipped Costa with a head kick which he followed up with his hands to send Costa to the mat.
Adesanya returns to the octagon this Sunday when he takes on Jan Błachowicz in UFC 259.
The track is set to be resurfaced for the first time since 2012.