UFC star admits he was drunk for world title fight after guzzling bottle of wine

UFC star Paulo Costa drank a bottle of wine the night before the biggest fight of his life – and was still drunk when he was KO'd.

Costa challenged middleweight world champion Israel Adesanya in Abu Dhabi last September but was stopped in the second round.

The fight, which headlined UFC 253, was scheduled for 9am local time to ensure it was broadcast at peak time in the United States.

And, struggling to sleep, Costa turned to alcohol in a bid to get some rest – with disastrous consequences.

"I was kind of drunk [when] I fought, maybe, on hangover," he said. "I couldn't sleep because of the [leg] cramps. Keep in mind that the fight happens at 9am, we have to wake up at five to get ready, stretch, wrap the hands.

"The UFC told us to wake up at five in the morning to go to the arena to fight. I hadn't slept until 2.30am.

"It was my mistake and I don’t blame anyone else, it was something I chose [to do], but, in order to try to sleep, because I had to sleep since I was awake for 24 hours, I had wine, too much wine, a bottle to try to black out.

"I had a glass and it didn't work. Two glasses, it didn't work. Half bottle, it didn't work. I had it all."

Adesanya will bid to win a second world title this weekend when he takes on light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz on Saturday night.

And Costa has been left to regret taking on the middleweight ruler in less than peak condition.

"It was a different feeling,” he added. "I’m always very active in every fight. There’s some apprehension, fear of getting hit and whatnot, so you’re on.

"In this fight, the championship fight, I was sleepy, yawning and unworried. It was odd. I didn't feel anything, not even an agony, 'Wow, I'm fighting for the title.' Not even that. I was too calm. All that calm freaked me out.

“The thing is, I was 20, 10 per cent of my capacities in the Adesanya fight. We had to change the the strategy in the locker room. 'Don't attack him, just wait for the first two rounds,' which was a mistake. Today we know that was a mistake, but talking is easy."

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