LAS VEGAS – Melquizael Costa beat Austin Lingo with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN 49 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Costa, who bounced back from a January loss to Thiago Moises in his UFC debut.
Melquizael Costa vs. Austin Lingo
Result: Melquizael Costa def. Austin Lingo via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
Updated records: Costa (20-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Lingo (9-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC)
Key stats: Costa outstruck Lingo 108-39 and landed three takedowns.
Costa on the fight's key moment
“I have a very strong kick and we trained that a lot. My master always tells me to just keep going with that and they were telling me to kick him. When I started to kick him, this guy is tough and he wouldn’t go down. I have to take my hat off him. He’s really tough.”
Costa on his blue-dyed hair
“This is a cause that’s very dear to me. I’ve always had a skin condition ever since I was a kid. It’s something that I like to raise awareness for.”
Costa on what he wants next
“I’m very excited about that event in Brazil. If anybody wants to come out and brawl, that’s how I like to go at it. I like to go at it whether standing up or on the ground. If there is a crazy dude that wants to go at it, let’s do it. We’re ready.”
To hear more from Costa, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 49.
