3 fights to look forward to and 2 that will likely disappoint at UFC Fight Night: Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori

Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC Fight Night 196: Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori

UFC Fight Night 196: Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori

In the main event of UFC Fight Night 196, middleweight powerhouses Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori will look to re-establish their status at each others’ expense after unsuccessful title bids against division kingpin Israel Adesanya.

Costa has not competed since suffering a devastating second-round TKO loss to Adesanya at UFC 253 on Fight Island. Before he challenged for the title, Costa had proven himself to be a bona fide star, succeeding in 13 straight fights, including five contests in the UFC.

However, Costa fell short under the brightest of spotlights when 'The Last Stylebender' picked him apart before putting him away.

Meanwhile, Marvin Vettori's UFC career is somewhat similar to Costa's. The Italian has performed well against every contender he has ever faced with the exception of Adesanya. In his last fight, Vettori slid to 0-2 against the reigning champ after landing on the losing side of a unanimous decision at UFC 263.

On paper, Costa vs. Vettori is a brilliant piece of UFC matchmaking and should live up to the hype. However, the elephant in the room has to be addressed and that's Costa's preparation for the upcoming bout.

The contest is expected to be changed to a 195-pound catchweight bout instead of a middleweight contest due to concerns that Costa won't make the 186-pound limit. Two days before the weigh-ins, Costa revealed that he was sitting at around 211 pounds (25 pounds over the limit).

Costa's weight mismanagement is a red flag that indicates the Brazilian hasn't taken his preparation as well as he should. With that in mind, this UFC Fight Night 196 bout might disappoint.

---

Fight to look forward to at UFC Fight Night 196: Grant Dawson vs. Ricky Glenn

UFC Fight Night 196: Grant Dawson vs. Ricky Glenn [Photo via @grantdawsonkgd on IG]

Grant Dawson will lock horns with Ricky Glenn in a co-main event clash between lightweights looking to keep their momentum going. The goal for both fighters, of course, is to crack their division's top 15. In the talent-rich lightweight division, that task is easier said than done.

Dawson has shown flashes of brilliance since making his way to the UFC. The 27-year-old hasn't been defeated in the octagon after five fights and is coming off a spectacular KO win in his last outing. At UFC Fight Night 196, Dawson will try to extend his winning streak to nine as he goes against a formidable opponent.

Standing on the opposite side of the cage will be 32-year-old Glenn. After a 31-month layoff due to hip surgery, the Team Alpha Male fighter looked phenomenal in his return, knocking out Joaquim Silva in just 37 seconds. Glenn will now have the chance to prove he's ready to take his career to new heights when he squares off with the streaking whippersnapper, Dawson.

This bout is undeniably a perfect matchup for each man given where they stand in their respective careers. Based on their recent performances, we might not hear from the judges to decide the outcome of this UFC Fight Night 196 co-main event.