Robert Whittaker Vs. Paulo Costa Removed From UFC 284
Costa has repeatedly said that it wasn't happening.
Robert Whittaker versus Paulo Costa has been cancelled – though it was never going to happen, according to Costa.
On Monday, the bout was officially removed from the UFC 284 lineup, according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto. The middleweight matchup was supposed to take place on February 11 at the RAC Arena in Perth.
“Guys sending me this,” Costa tweeted.
“I feel sad for Robert because the UFC didn’t tell him the truth lol, you don’t deserve this. Bro, sorry I won’t fight you in Perth. UFC posting this [Whittaker vs. Costa] just to sell tickets, you need to realize that. They didn’t pay me, I’m out! I’m not joking.”
Guys sending me this, I feel sad for Robert because the UFC didn’t tell him the truth lol, you don’t deserve this. Bro, sorry I won’t fight you in Perth UFC posting this (Robert vs Costa)just to sell tickets, you need to realize that.They didn’t pay me, I’m out!I’m not joking 🙃 pic.twitter.com/J43Z3LVnyq
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) December 19, 2022
Whittaker vs Costa has been promoted by the UFC since last month, but Costa has publicly said many times that it is not official. Costa has one fight left on his contract, but has yet to renew it because the promotion has not agreed to raise his pay, he claims.
And it doesn’t look like things are going his way.
“Great fights is going down due to lack of negotiation skills,” wrote Costa. “They should stop being petty. I wasn’t bluffing.
Great fights is going down due to lack of negotiation skills, they should stop being petty 👍🥤 pic.twitter.com/uAfFLnTOdN
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) December 19, 2022
“I think they’re taking it the wrong way, making fighters unhappy with deals isn’t very smart,” wrote Costa. “It’s not only me, I remember: [Francis] Ngannou, [Sean] O’Malley, Mark Hunt, etc.”
I think they’re taking it the wrong way, making fighters unhappy with deals isn’t very smart. It’s not only ME, I remember: Nagnnu , OMalley , Mark hunt ect
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) December 19, 2022
Costa returned to the winning column last August when he defeated Luke Rockhold by unanimous decision. Before that, he was on a two-fight losing streak to Marvin Vettori – which he was unable to cut weight for – and then champion Israel Adesanya.
Whittaker also bounced back with a win over Vettori, losing prior to then-champion Adesanya in a rematch.
Whittaker isn’t staying on the UFC 284 card.
“It’s very upsetting to say they’re true,” Whittaker said in a video posted to Twitter.
“The fight with Costa has fallen apart. UFC tried everything in their power to get him to the fight. They gave him the new contract, from what I understand, to take the fight and he still didn’t take the fight. So yeah, the Perth fight is not happening.”