Alessandro Costa

Costa landed the more consequential strikes in round one before the fight reached the mat in the second. He moved from side control to the back and completed a rear-naked choke at 2:19.

Key moments

• Costa landed the more consequential first-round strikes.
• He moved from side control to the back in round two.
• Costa completed the rear-naked choke at 2:19 of the second round.

Costa took the fight on nine days' notice at a catchweight and needed only one round, countering Schnell's entries with overhand rights before a big right hand sent the veteran into a desperation takedown. Costa stuffed it, took top position and finished with ground strikes for his second straight knockout and a $25,000 finish bonus.

Key moments

• A short right hand visibly hurt Schnell midway through the opening round
• A heavy overhand right forced Schnell to shoot a panic takedown that Costa stuffed
• Costa took top position and ground-and-pounded until the referee stopped it in the first

Costa invested in the body throughout, then dropped Nicoll with a left to the liver with seconds left in the second round for a $100,000 Performance of the Night. He said afterward it was a shot he trains every day — 'exactly what we planned.'

Key moments

• Costa targeted the body repeatedly through the first round and into the second
• A left hook to the liver at 4:56 of round two folded Nicoll for the finish
• The stoppage earned Costa a Performance of the Night bonus

Short-notice debutant Coria, in for the injured Edgar Chairez, out-moved Costa early and finished him in the third. Costa appeared compromised by a foot problem entering the final round and was overwhelmed against the fence.

Key moments

• Both men traded heavy leg kicks early as Coria won the footwork exchanges
• Costa landed a big overhand but could not capitalize on it
• Coria pounced to open round three and finished along the fence at 0:47

Costa opened the Rio de Janeiro card by chopping down Borjas's lead leg, dropping him with a hook late in the first before the accumulated kicks ended it in the second. It was a polished striking performance to kick off the night.

Key moments

• Costa dropped Borjas with a lead hook at the end of a close first round
• Accumulated low kicks sat Borjas down early in the second
• Costa followed to the mat and finished with ground strikes at 1:35

A close, competitive loss to a surging Erceg at Madison Square Garden. Costa had his best moments in the second round but was out-positioned in the clinch down the stretch and dropped all three cards 29-28.

Key moments

• Erceg controlled the first round and rocked Costa with a right hand
• Costa surged in the second, hurting Erceg with sweeping right hooks
• Erceg leaned on clinch control to bank the third and take a unanimous decision