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Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold turned out to be one of the oddest UFC fights in recent history.
The co-main event of UFC 278 had it all: action, drama, thrill, and even some unintentional comedy. The bizarre turn of events began when the former middleweight champ seemingly gassed out immediately after just a few exchanges.
However, Rockhold remained a constant threat throughout the match as he landed massive shots and occasionally dropped Costa. The bout was also paused after Rockhold poked his opponent's eye, and again when 'Borrachinha' blasted the former champ with a low blow.
Finally, the iconic battle was bookended with a graphic scene of Rockhold being on top of Costa, rubbing his own blood all over his opponent, who seemed to be having a blast as it was happening.
Watch the video below:
Needless to say, Paulo Costa vs. Luke Rockhold caught the attention of fighters and fans alike. Check out the best comments from UFC Twitter below:
Conor McGregor often chimes in with his thoughts during UFC broadcasts. He usually takes these opportunities to insert himself into the conversation, but this time, 'The Notorious' was too awestruck to proceed with his usual antics.
Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, Ben Askren, Billy Quarantillo, Megan Anderson, Chase Sherman, and Nina Nunes are on the same page as McGregor. Strong adjectives including "crazy", "bizarre", "strange", and "wild" were thrown around to describe the bout.
Understandably, a few fighters couldn't help but get fixated on the final sequence of the fight. Rafael dos Anjos, Chris Curtis, and Marion Reneau fired off their takes regarding the blood-rubbing incident.
However, not everyone appeared to have enjoyed the bout. YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Jake Paul – aka the biggest heel in MMA – labeled the bout a "glorified street fight."
Finally, there are those who came away from watching the bout admiring Rockhold's heart and never-say-die attitude. UFC standouts Derek Brunson, Belal Muhammad, Raphael Asuncao and referee Marc Goddard all took to Twitter to heap praise on the former titleholder.
Luke Rockhold hints at retirement after losing to Paulo Costa at UFC 278
Luke Rockhold burst into tears after his fight with Paulo Costa went the distance. It appears that the former UFC middleweight champ already knew he lost even before the decision was announced.
During his post-fight interview, Rockhold took his gloves off – a traditional gesture of retirement in the UFC. The former champ didn't outright confirm he was retiring, though. However, based on his post-fight interview with Rogan, this might be the last time we witnessed the former champion compete inside the octagon.
"I gave it my all, man," an emotional Rockhold said. "I just didn't... I'm f***ing old."
Watch Luke Rockhold's interview below:
