Johny Hendricks Gets Stopped, Paulo Costa Dominates Former Champ In UFC 217 PPV Opener

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has headed to New York for UFC 217. The event is going down tonight and is set to include the octagon return of former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. The fighter has not competed inside the octagon for nearly four years, but will be making his middleweight debut in a title fight against reigning champion Michael “The Count” Bisping in tonight’s main event. The Madison Square Garden Arena will also be holding two other exciting title fights on tonight’s card.

Kicking off the night’s main card, former welterweight champion and former opponent to Georges St-Pierre, Johny Hendricks went face-to-face with Paulo Costa in a middleweight match up.

The first round opened up at a slower pace than many of the night’s previous octagon performances. Still, Costa managed to sink in some damaging body and leg kicks to his opponent early on. The fighter was quickly able to pressure Hendricks against the cage, but was unable to keep the fighter away from the center of the octagon.

Hendricks retaliated with a strong right overhand to the head of Costa, as Costa continued to control the pace of the fight. Cost began clubbing Hendricks with powerful right hooks, keeping Hendricks pressed against the cage.

Hendricks was slammed with a knee to the body, before retaliating with a series of strikes that put Costa on his back foot. Back in the center of the octagon in the last 40 seconds of the round, Hendricks was able to slam his opponent with a few nice shots to the body. The round came to an exciting end, as the two fighters entered a stunning exchange.

The second round opened with Hendricks pushing the pace, but the fighter was quickly hit with an eye poke as Costa pushed off of his face.

With the fight back in play, Hendricks immediately bull rushed his opponent but was rocked by Costa’s counter punches.

Costa brought an end to the night’s opening main card fight with a TKO victory over his opponent, as Hendricks fell to the mat.

UFC Results: Paulo Costa def. Johny Hendricks via TKO in round 2