Midnight Mania: Another Costa Cancellation?!? ‘Not Going To Happen’

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Paulo Costa doesn’t have the best reputation for showing up to fight.

Theoretically, the problem is solved. Costa didn’t like his old contract and acted out because of it, which didn’t mesh well with UFC’s habit of announcing fights prior to contracts being signed. Fortunately, the popular Brazilian recently scored a highly lucrative deal, so this should be an issue of the past. Costa is signed to fight Robert Whittaker next weekend (Sat. Feb. 17) at UFC 298 from Anaheim, California, but that match up has fallen apart previously.

Former title contender and MMA analyst Chael Sonnen is predicting a repeat. He doesn’t offer an exact explanation of his skepticism, but Sonnen is insistent that Whittaker vs. Costa does not happen next weekend.

“If you were just to guess, I’ve had a couple fights in my life where I’ve seen them and read about them and thought, ‘That’s not going to happen,’ and that was my reaction,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel about Whittaker vs. Costa (via MMAJunkie). “I loved them and they were exciting, possibly a situation where it was too good to be true but there was something about it, I didn’t feel it was going to happen.”

He later continued, “I am not that bullish on Paulo Costa vs. Robert Whittaker. I am not that bullish … It doesn’t feel like those guys are getting ready to fight.”

“I will make an observation, and that observation is that Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker are not behaving, and are not actively doing what other guys put in the same position that are three weeks, closing in on a fight that’s televised and monetized on pay-per-view,” Sonnen concluded. “They are not doing what two opponents generally would do, that are going to plan to face each other.”

Apparently, Sonnen has issue with the (lack of?) fight promotion between the two. I cannot say I’ve seen any heated social media discourse between the two, but that’s also not really Whittaker’s style generally. The Australian is looking absolutely shredded in his recent pictures, so his physical preparation appears to be on point. Costa, meanwhile, is posting goofy memes online per usual, but his workout posts show a built “Borrachinha” as well.

Think the duo make it into the cage in 10 days?

Insomnia

RIZIN head Nobuyuki Sakakibara meeting with Dana White … could we be seeing Kyoji Horiguchi back in the UFC? Immediate title shot!

An update to this weekend’s fight card:

It feels like everyone fell off the Guram Kutateladze hype train after the Elves Brenner upset, but maybe the Brazilian is just really good also? I’m still looking forward to the return of “The Georgian Viking.”

A real deep look into the minds of the athletes interviewed.

Alexa Grasso may be sitting in the broadcasters booth at UFC Mexico City!

Tito Ortiz and podcasts really are a match made in heaven for amusing content.

This sentiment isn’t related to his appearance, but Gregory Rodrigues is one of my favorite unranked fighters in the whole UFC. “Robocop” goes to war every time!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

A quick clip of Poland’s debuting Welterweight talent, Robert Bryczek, who fights Ihor Potieira on Saturday night.

A great performance and great write up from “The Warmaster” Josh Barnett!

Olympic silver medalist Ben Whittaker winning in style:

Random Land

Komodo dragons are venomous AND bacteria-filled prehistoric-looking lizards. To be avoided!

Midnight Music: Art pop, 1973

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.