Flyweight Alden Coria made the jump to the UFC on Saturday, paired up with Brazilian standout Alessandro Costa.
An LFA veteran, Coria was replacing Edgar Chairez in the bout, after Chairez broke his leg ahead of the fight.
The fight opened with both men trading heavy outside leg kicks. Coria quickly established superior footwork, switching stances and using feints effectively. He landed a sharp one-two on Costa and slipped away as Costa countered, showcasing his composure. Costa connected with a big overhand, but Coria stayed calm, keeping his jab active and moving out of range. Early on, Coria’s technical edge was clear—while Costa was loading up on big shots, Coria was reading everything and responding efficiently. A crisp jab throughout the round kept Costa’s attacks in check and targeted the leg kicks, making it a very clean round for the newcomer.
In round two, Coria returned to the jab before catching Costa as he stepped in, securing an easy bodylock takedown. On the ground, Coria stayed comfortable, mixing body and head strikes while Costa scrambled with his legs and hip positioning to regain footing. During a clinch, Costa executed a kimura sweep to roll Coria and take the back, threatening with a rear-naked choke. Yet Coria remained calm, turning toward Costa to regain top position and finish the round with damaging ground-and-pound.
Round three saw Costa likely needing a finish, but an apparent foot injury hindered him. Coria pressed forward confidently, pinning Costa against the cage. When Costa attempted a poor takedown, Coria stepped back and unleashed a punishing combination along the fence, breaking Costa down and forcing the referee to step in.
Official Result: Alden Coria def. Alessandro Costa by TKO (punches), round 3, 0:47
