Paulo Costa calls for clash with ex-Champion Robert Whittaker in UFC Return: ‘He is looking for a fight?’
Despite failing to make a planned February fight with former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker earlier this year, former title challenger, Paulo Costa has suggested a pairing with the former titleholder in February of next year.
Costa, a former undisputed middleweight title challenger and current number six ranked contender, was scheduled to fight the above-mentioned ex-gold holder, Whittaker at UFC 284 back in February of this year in Australia, however, maintained he never officially penned terms to fight the fan-favorite, leaving the pairing high and dry.
And forced from a slated return at UFC 294 in October, Costa suffered a nasty bursitis infection in his elbow, resulting in numerous surgical procedures to address the injury, and his removal from a fight against the unbeaten Chechen-born force, Khamzat Chimaev.
As for Whittaker, the former champion has been sidelined from the Octagon since he featured on the main card of UFC 290 back in July during International Fight Week, suffering a spectacular second round TKO loss to surging contender and incoming title challenger, Dricus du Plessis.
Paulo Costa calls for fight against Robert Whittaker next
And announcing plans a comeback to active competition at UFC 297 in January of next year in Toronto, Costa appears to have already rearranged those plans for the following month in February – earmarking a reworked fight against Whittaker.
“Gourmet Chen Chen is completely hidden,” Paulo Costa posted on his official X account tonight. “(Robert) Whittaker is looking for a fight? I fight in February.”
Sidelined since he featured on the main card of UFC 278 back in August of last year, Belo Horizonte native, Costa most recently landed a unanimous decision win over the returning former undisputed middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold.
The win snapped Costa’s two-fight losing skid against both former champion, Israel Adesanya, and fellow one-time title challenger, Marvin Vettori.
Would you like to see Paulo Costa fight Robert Whittaker in his return?
