The opening round was largely uneventful, with each man taking time to settle in, find their range, and shake out the nerves of competing in front of the UFC brass. Midway through the second, Costa began to let go with his hands more, stinging Luna with sharp blows. After the Ecuadorian flyweight pantomimed being hurt, Costa made him feel the real thing, dropping him late the round with a clean right hand down the pipe.
The third was again close, with Costa gaining the advantage based on the impact of his blows, as he cracked Luna with sharp kicks and a smattering of heavy punches while keeping the fight on the feet for the duration. The judges were called upon to determine the outcome, and two of the three officials saw the fight in favor of the Brazilian, awarding Costa the split decision win.