Melquizael Costa gets second UFC fight in 35 days, faces Christian Rodriguez in Mexico
It'll be just over a month between fights for Melquizael Costa.
Costa (22-7 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has his next bout on the books just three days after his UFC Fight Night 252 submission win over Andre Fili in Seattle. Thirty-five days later, he'll face Christian Rodriguez (12-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 64 in Mexico City. The event takes place March 29 at Arena CDMX.
Two people with knowledge of the matchup recently informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Ag. Fight first reported the bout Tuesday.
Costa has won back-to-back fights by submission, and three of his most recent four overall. A member of Chute Boxe João Emilio, Costa is a close friend and training partner of Joanderson Brito.
Rodriguez has proven to be the promotion's ultimate spoiler when it comes to rising prospects. He's handed UFC prospects Raul Rosas Jr., Cameron Saaiman, Isaac Dulgarian, and Austin Bashi their first career losses.
With the addition, the UFC on ESPN 64 lineup includes:
Brandon Moreno vs. Steve Erceg
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Joe Pyfer
Drew Dober vs. Manuel Torres
Rafa Garcia vs. Vinc Pichel
Elves Brener vs. Daniel Zellhuber
Melquizael Costa vs. Christian Rodriguez
Edgar Chairez vs. C.J. Vergara
Kevin Borjas vs. Ronaldo Rodriguez
David Martinez vs. Saimon Oliveira
Ateba Gautier vs. Jose Medina
Lupita Godinez vs. Julia Polastri
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC on ESPN 64.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Fight of the century' - Alvarez-Crawford date confirmed
Turki Alalshikh (centre) announced last month that a super-fight had been agreed between Terence Crawford (left) and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (right) [Getty Images] Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's super-fight against Terence Crawford will take place in Las Vegas on Saturday, 13 September. Mexican pound-for-pound great Alvarez will meet undefeated American Crawford for the undisputed super-middleweight title. Advertisement The blockbuster will be streamed globally on Netflix and has been billed the "fight of the century" by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's general entertainment authority. It will be the first fight to be promoted by Alalshikh in collaboration with UFC president Dana White. "Turki wants to make the biggest fights that the fans want to see in boxing and this is right up my alley," said White. "Are you kidding me that the first boxing fight I'm going to get to promote is Canelo versus Crawford? It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime fight." Alvarez holds all four recognised world titles in the super-middleweight division after the 34-year-old beat William Scull last month. Advertisement That resulted in him regaining the IBF belt and the undisputed super-middleweight title, and after the fight Crawford was confirmed as his next opponent, with the pair posing for a face-off in the ring. "I'm ready to show once again that I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world," the Mexican said in a statement on Tuesday. Alvarez has 63 wins from 67 professional fights, with two draws and two defeats. Crawford is a four-division and two-weight undisputed champion, and will be moving up from light-middleweight. The 37-year-old possesses a flawless record, having won all 41 of his pro fights. Advertisement "My perfect record speaks for itself," said Crawford. "I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top." The fight - expected to take place at Allegiant Stadium - will be preceded by a three-city media tour, visiting Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (20 June), before heading to the United States as the fighters appear in New York (22 June) and Las Vegas (27 June). More boxing from the BBC
USA Today
38 minutes ago
- USA Today
Joaquin Buckley: Islam Makhachev 'definitely going to run' from me if he wins UFC title
Joaquin Buckley: Islam Makhachev 'definitely going to run' from me if he wins UFC title Joaquin Buckley doesn't see Islam Makhachev sticking around the UFC welterweight division for too long. Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) is looking to emerge as No. 1 contender when he takes on former champion Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) in Saturday's UFC on ESPN 69 (ESPN, ESPN+) headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. But before Buckley potentially gets his shot, Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will challenge recently crowned UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena later in the year – even though Buckley doesn't agree. "So once I beat Kamaru Usman, there is no debate, there is no back-and-forth, there is no argument, we up next," Buckley said on his YouTube channel. "You got this guy from 155 coming up thinking he's going to take my spot. No, we can't have it. The JDM fight and Islam fight is not a massive fight to make. JDM is the world champion right now, but I truly believe that Islam got to sit back and just wait for me to get my title because I will be the hardest fight that Islam has." Unfortunately for Buckley, UFC CEO Dana White has already declared Makhachev next in line for Della Maddalena. If both Buckley and Makhachev emerge victorious in their next fights, "New Mansa" doesn't see the former UFC lightweight champion wanting to face him. "He's not going to outwrestle me. He's not going to submit me," Buckley said of Makhachev. "I've never been submitted in my career, and he's definitely not going to stand on the feet with me. If the people want to see it, it's going to be made. ... If Islam does get blessed with that title shot, and he does beat JDM, he's not going to stay there. He's going to retire. He's going to get up out of there, quit, because he knows he's not a natural 170 fighter – and especially with myself, he's definitely going to run from a person like me."
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford to fight in Las Vegas for unified super middleweight title
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Boxing's most-anticipated fight in years, Canelo Alvarez against Terence Crawford, will be in Las Vegas on Sept. 13 after much speculation that it would take place in Saudi Arabia. The fight for the unified super middleweight championship is part of Alvarez's reported $400 million, minimum four-fight deal with Riyadh Season. One of those fights can be in another location, and Las Vegas has become the boxing home for the Mexican champion. Riyadh Season is working with UFC CEO Dana White to promote the fight. This is White's first foray into boxing as part of an effort to become a major player in the sport. 'Are you kidding me that the first boxing fight I'm going to get to promote is Canelo vs. Crawford?' White said in a statement. "It's literally a once in a lifetime fight." Alvarez (63-2-2) unified the division by defeating William Scull by unanimous decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 3. Crawford, who is from Omaha, Nebraska, attended that bout, and the four-division champ who is 41-0 announced in the ring with Alvarez that they would meet in September. 'I'm ready to show once again that I am the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world,' Alvarez said in a statement. Added Crawford: 'My perfect record speaks for itself. I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top. On September 13, my hand will be raised once again as the world watches greatness.' ___
