Paulo Costa tried to warn us but nobody would listen — not even his opponent.
Well, fake opponent since the previously-reported Robert Whittaker fight was never signed and made official for the UFC 284 pay-per-view (PPV) event next Feb. in Perth, according to a new report from ESPN. As of this writing, it is not yet known if matchmakers will find a new dance partner for “The Reaper” or keep the bout on ice while negotiations continue.
The disgruntled Costa (14-2) wants more money because his current purse is “so low.”
“I wasn’t bluffing,” Costa wrote on Twitter. “A great fight is going down due to lack of negotiation skills, they should stop being petty. I’m only focused in secret juice. Fuck everything else.”
The 31 year-old Brazilian is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 278 back in August and has just one fight remaining on his current deal, but also insists his contract will expire in the middle of 2023 regardless of whether or not he competes, so “The Eraser” may find it more advantageous to sit and wait for a better offer.
Time will tell.