With eyes fixed on last night’s UFC Paris co-headliner between former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, and former opponent, Marvin Vettori – Brazilian contender, Paulo Costa has urged Whittaker to remain at 185lbs, maintaining he would push the pace if paired with him in the future.
Costa, who co-headlined UFC 278 last month against former middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold, landed a unanimous decision win over the Santa Cruz native in Salt Lake City – snapping a run of two consecutive losses to champion, Israel Adesanya, and the aforenoted, Vettori.
Retaining his rank atop the middleweight division beneath Adesanya last night in the promotion’s first outing in France, Whittaker secured a rather comfortable and one-sided unanimous decision win over Italian challenger, Vettori – turning in a vintage striking performance.
Paulo Costa teases a future fight with Robert Whittaker at middleweight
Teasing a potential light heavyweight division leap following two career losses to Adesanya, Whittaker, who maintains a move to 205lbs would be a more healthy option for him, has been urged to rethink a move amid interest in a fight from Belo Horizonte striker, Paulo Costa.
“When I fight (Robert) Whittaker it won’t be by decision,” Paulo Costa tweeted following UFC Paris. “I’ll go for the knockout. I hope he doesn’t change divisions before then.”
Targeting a return to the Octagon next year, Costa, who challenged Adesanya for undisputed spoils back in September 2019, recently underwent surgery to address a hand fracture suffered in his blood-and-guts judging win over Rockhold last month at the Vivint Arena.
Reflecting on his pair of title losses to Adesanya following his impressive display against Vettori, Whittaker insisted he is the most “dangerous” fighter at middleweight today.
“I’m the most dangerous man in the division,” Robert Whittaker told assembled media. “Israel’s (Adesanya) the champ. He beat me twice, hats off to him for that. He’s a great fighter, he really is. And I think stylistically he’s a great fighter, but I still think I’m the most dangerous man in the division, because I win. I win a lot and I make people hate fighting. I take the fight out of them, because that’s what I do. I get in there and I get to work.”