Paulo Costa had a bout scheduled with former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker earlier this year, but it didn’t happen. Now there are hints that he might face the former title holder next February.
Costa, a former middleweight title challenger and current No. 6 ranked contender, is scheduled to fight Whittaker at UFC 284 in Australia, but the fight hasn’t been officially confirmed. It seems that the two fighters never agreed on the terms of the match.
Costa was supposed to return at UFC 294 in October, but he suffered a severe elbow injury and had to undergo multiple surgeries. This forced him to pull out of the fight against Khamzat Chimaev.
On the other hand, Whittaker was pulled from a previous match. He appeared at UFC 290 in July, his first fight since losing to Doricas du Plessis.
Paulo Costa Calls for Fight with Robert Whittaker Next
Costa initially planned to return at UFC 297 in Toronto, but now he’s looking to rearrange his plans and face Whittaker in February.
“Gourmet Cheng Cheng is completely hidden,” Paulo Costa posted on his blog. He asked, “Is (Robert) Whittaker looking for a fight? He’ll fight in February.”
Costa, a Belo Horizonte native, returned to the octagon with a unanimous decision win over Luke Rockhold last August, ending a two-fight losing streak.
Would you like to see Paulo Costa come back and fight Robert Whittaker?