10 UFC 226 Predictions
6. Uriah Hall Vs. Paulo Costa
With his emphatic victory over former UFC Welterweight Champion Johnny Hendricks, Paulo Costa announced himself as one of the premier prospects at 185lbs. Sporting an undefeated record in his 11 professional trips to the cage, with all of his victories coming inside the distance, Costa is being tipped to be the next big thing in a middleweight division begging for new talent.
His opponent Uriah Hall knows all too well what it is like to be viewed as the next star. After his spectacular knockout of Adam Cella on The Ultimate Fighter 17 went viral, Hall was seen by many as the spiritual successor of Anderson Silva with his flashy but effective striking style. In the years that have passed, Hall has struggled with consistency, only occasionally seeming like the fighter that was poised to set the world alight.
Hall still possesses that ridiculous power, but whether he will be able to stop a surging prospect like Costa is another matter. Costa to use his explosiveness to pressure Hall and finish him with strikes.
Prediction: Costa via round 1 TKO