Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa UFC 302 Odds, Time, and Prediction

Sean Strickland is a former UFC Middleweight champ who lost his championship belt to Dricus du Plessis in January. If he wants to get another shot at the title, he needs to get back on the winning track. Unfortunately for him, this seems like a big ask considering that he’s fighting Paulo Costa at UFC 302. So, can Strickland beat Costa?

Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa Odds

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When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
• Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024
• Time: ~10:00 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: PPV

Sean Strickland Going All-In on the UFC 302 Co-Main Event

Sean Strickland is a brawler who likes hurting opponents and doesn’t mind getting hurt. He was given a shot at the title for literally saying yes to every fight. In the last two years, he fought three fights per year.

Arguably the best performance of his entire career was in the title fight with Israel Adesanya, which he won by a unanimous decision. Strickland landed 137 significant strikes against the kickboxing genius and got hit only 94 times.

He failed to make a title defense, though. Dricus du Plessis took the title away from him, beating him by a split decision. Strickland landed 173 strikes, while getting hit 137 times. The reason why he lost is that the South African fighter landed 6 takedowns.

Now, he’s fighting against Paulo Costa, whose fighting style isn’t too dissimilar to the one of du Plessis. Could this be a problem for Strickland?

Paulo Costa Looking Huge Ahead of UFC 302

Paulo Costa is similar to Strickland in the sense that he lands a lot of strikes and is not afraid to get hit. He’s also similar to du Plessis in the sense that he’s got many weapons in his arsenal.

Costa is no stranger to making takedowns and despite winning only once by submission in his career, there’s no denying that he’s a very good grappler.

Still, ahead of his fight with Strickland at UFC 302 in New Jersey, his biggest advantage seems to be his power. He looks huge in photos he’s been posting on social media. Costa’s training footage also shows him to be in top shape, suggesting that Strickland is in trouble.

Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa UFC 302 Prediction

Our prediction is that Paulo Costa will win this fight. He’s exactly the type of fighter who can exploit Strickland’s weaknesses. The American fighter tends to get punched a lot, which is something that can cost him a lot against the super-powerful Costa.

Plus, the Brazilian might even decide to take the fight to the ground where he’s probably superior to Strickland. Either way, we think it’s Costa who will win the June 1 fight.

Pick: Paulo Costa