Systems and methods are provided for implementing methods for resolution-adaptive video coding in a motion prediction coding format by obtaining a current frame of a bitstream, obtaining one or more reference pictures from a reference frame buffer, up-sampling or down-sampling the obtained one or more reference pictures that have resolutions different from a resolution of the current frame, and generating a reconstructed frame from the current frame based on the one or more reference pictures and a selected motion candidate of the current frame, thereby achieving substantial reduction of network transport costs in video coding and delivery without requiring the transport of additional data that would offset or compromise these savings.