A previously announced middleweight bout that had fans frenzied is no longer at UFC 284, according to reports.
While promotions officials had previously announced that Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa would meet in Perth, Australia for the February pay-per-view card, it was reported that ESPN shows that it didn’t happen. This was backed up by comments from Costa himself, who appeared to be the latest fighter embroiled in a contract dispute with the organisation.
“Great fights are dwindling due to lack of negotiating skills, they should stop being petty,” Costa wrote in reply Monday’s news.
The Brazilian has been open about the fact that he is playing the final game of his current contract, and his general displeasure with promotion so far. After his initial statement, he made a second, shorter comment: “I’m not bluffing.”
I’m not bluffing 🙌
– Paulo Costa (Borrachinha) (@BorrachinhaMMA) December 19, 2022
As noted by ESPN, the UFC’s official broadcast partner in the United States, the fight is still listed on the official UFC 284 fight card. But the game appears to be coming to an end with just two months to go.
Costa’s victory over Luke Rockhold at UFC 278 in August left him dissatisfied with his paycheck, while the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency lost weight during an early-morning visit.the latter is something UFC President Dana White Vows It Will Never Happen Again.
As it stands, UFC 284 will see Alexander Volkanovski challenge for a second title at light heavyweight. The featherweight champion will face newly crowned 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev.
An interim featherweight title fight is also on the cards, with Volkanovski making the cut, and Yar Rodriguez and Josh Emmett set to be eliminated.
The event will take place on 11 February 2023 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The card is the UFC’s first in Australia since before the coronavirus pandemic began, with their last visit being in Melbourne in October 2019.
