Paulo Costa unsure fight with Robert Whittaker happens at UFC 298: ‘I didn’t sign yet, I don’t know what happened’
Despite being slated to fight former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker at UFC 298 next month in Anaheim, California, polarizing division contender, Paulo Costa has claimed he has yet to put pen to paper on a bout agreement to fight the ex-titleholder – nor has he received one as of yet from the organization.
Costa, the current number six ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined for over a year, making his most recent outing in a unanimous decision win over former champion, Luke Rockhold at UFC 278 in August 2022.
And booked to make his comeback in a high-stakes title-eliminator against the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October last, Costa was forced from the Abu Dhabi, UAE grudge match with the former after he developed a nasty bursitis infection in his elbow ahead of the bout, requiring numerous surgical procedures to address.
Paulo Costa unsure if Robert Whittaker fight happens at UFC 298
Expected to make his return to the Octagon as part of UFC 298 next month in Anaheim at the Toyota Center, Costa has claimed, however, that he has yet to fight former gold holder, Whittaker at the event – and has yet to even receive an official bout agreement from the promotion for the middleweight battle.
“I’ll tell you, I didn’t sign [bout agreement] yet,” Paulo Costa told MMA Fighting. “They [the UFC] didn’t send. They didn’t send the email – I’m waiting on this email. I don’t know what happened. But, they said Anaheim. I’m okay with Anaheim, I like the Californian people, I spent a couple of months there last year…”
“The only problem with Anaheim is the tax – of Calfiornia, high tax,” Paulo Costa explained. “They say Anaheim, so I think the fight is gonna happen.”
Sidelined since a July knockout loss to incoming title chaser, Dricus du Plessis, former champion, Whittaker was expected to fight Belo Horizonte native, Costa at UFC 284 back in February of last year, however, similarly, the latter insisted he had not officially signed to fight the ex-champion.
Do you expect Paulo Costa to fight Robert Whittaker at UFC 298?
