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Robert Whittaker 'not really' worried about Paulo Costa pulling out of UFC 298

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is confident that Paulo Costa will fight him at UFC 298.

Whittaker (24-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) takes on Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) in the Feb. 17 co-main event at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Costa has had five fights canceled or rebooked in the past couple of years – including against Whittaker at UFC 284, when the fight fell through due to Costa failing to come to terms on a new deal.

Despite Costa’s inactivity, Whittaker remains unfazed.

“Not really,” Whittaker said on “The MMA Hour.” “It’s always so funny with contracts and contract signing. I didn’t even realize that was a thing? ‘I haven’t signed’ or whatever. UFC comes here and they say, ‘Hey, do you want to fight X on this date?’ And I say yes, right? When I say I’m in for something, that’s it, I’m down. Doesn’t matter whether I sign the contract today or sign it two days before the fight, I said I’ll be there, that’s what I’m doing.

“Whether or not I was worried about it actually falling through, not really. Like other times, I would fight someone. UFC would get me to fight someone. And I think it’s a good fight for him, I think it’s a good fight for me, we’re both high-level middleweights, we’re both trying to work our way back to the top of the food chain. I don’t see any reason for him not to.”

Costa hasn’t competed since outlasting Luke Rockhold in a Fight of the Night battle at UFC 278 in August 2022. He was booked to face Khamzat Chimaev this past October at UFC 294 before a severe case of staph infection in his elbow forced him out of the bout.

The former title challenger assured his fans that he will make it to UFC 298.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.



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