Paulo Costa expecting a title shot with UFC 298 win over Robert Whittaker

A colossal bout in the middleweight division serves as Saturday’s UFC 298 co-main event.  Former champion and third-ranked contender Robert Whittaker looks to bounce back from a TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis in his last fight when he faces sixth-ranked knockout artist Paulo Costa.  

Whittaker (24-7) won the 185-pound interim championship by defeating Yoel Romero by unanimous decision at UFC 213 in July 2017.  The title was later elevated to the undisputed championship.  Romero missed weight for the immediate rematch and was defeated by Whittaker a second time.  

Due to Romero missing weight by 2 tenths of a pound, Whittaker never technically defended the belt.  He lost to Israel Adesanya in his next fight and he’s been trying to get back to the top ever since.    

Costa (14-2) hasn’t fought since August 2022 when he beat former champion Luke Rockhold via decision.  He’s currently ranked sixth in the division and expects to jump into a title fight with a win over the third-ranked Whittaker.  

“I don’t see all the way different than that going straight for the belt after beating Whittaker Saturday,” Costa said during the UFC 298 Media Day.  “I have no other way to go.  I think, after beat him, if you look at the whole division you have a popular guy who fights the way that people want to see that people like to see the fights going on it’s me.  So beating him, I’ll be next in line.”