Paulo Costa demands title shot after UFC 298: ”I’m more dangerous than before”

Paulo Costa. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez – USA TODAY Sports

The Brazilian former title challenger Paulo Costa argues that he’s next in line for a title shot if he defeats former champion Rob Whittaker on Saturday’s co-main event at UFC 298.

“I don’t see another way different than going straight for the belt after I beat Whittaker on Saturday. I have no other way to go. I think after (I) beat him, when you look at the whole division, you have a couple of guys who fight the way that people want to see, that people like to see the fights going on. It’s me. Beating him, I’ll be the next in the line,” Costa told reporters on a recent press conference.

The 32-year-old intends to show the world that he’s a whole new fighter than when he faced Marvin Vettori and Luke Rockhold.

”I did a lot of improvements. I’m faster. I’m more dangerous than before.”

Costa unsuccessfully challenged for the middleweight strap in September 2020, when he challenged Israel Adesanya at UFC 253.

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UFC 298 with Paulo Costa

• Main card Featherweight title bout: Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs. Ilia Topuria
• Middleweight bout: Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa
• Welterweight bout: Geoff Neal vs. Ian Machado Garry
• Bantamweight bout: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Henry Cejudo
• Middleweight bout: Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov

Preliminary card

• Women’s strawweight bout: Amanda Lemos vs. Mackenzie Dern
• Heavyweight bout: Marcos Rogério de Lima vs. Justin Tafa
• Bantamweight bout: Rinya Nakamura vs. Carlos Vera Light
• Heavyweight bout: Zhang Mingyang vs. Brendson Ribeiro

Early preliminary card

• Welterweight bout: Josh Quinlan vs. Danny Barlow
• Welterweight bout: Oban Elliott vs. Val Woodburn
• Women’s flyweight bout: Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick

*Fight card is a subject of change.

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