Paulo Costa of Brazil will be back in action after a year-long hiatus at the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 298 in California on Sunday.
“The Eraser” (14-2-0) will take on multi-weight champion Robert Whittaker (25-7-0) at the Honda Center in a middleweight match-up as he searches for a change in momentum after managing just one win in his last three fights.
Whittaker, on the other hand, has been a shadow of his former self, with a similar track record of one win in three fights.
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The major concern for Costa has been the lack of time inside the octagon. The 32-year-old has competed just three times in the last three years, getting back into the win column with his most recent appearance in August 2022, opposite Luke Rockhold.
However, the Brazilian is concentrating on the bright side of this situation, making the most of the time in hand with extensive training.
“I fought in August of 2022 and I started training in January last year. That’s a lot of time. I think I have all the reasons to be confident for this fight. I’m in my prime, both physically and technically. So, the fighter that everyone is going to see this weekend will be brand new. I’m excited to show everyone the new version of Paulo,” said the fighter in an exclusive interaction with Sportstar.
Going purely by the numbers, Costa has the upper hand over Whittaker, except for the reach, in which the American is marginally ahead. But Costa says combat sports are all about situational thinking, and these stats will not make any difference if he can’t make quick decisions inside the octagon.
“I keep experimenting during my training sessions, and if those work inside the octagon, it’ll make me feel good. I think stats really don’t matter. If you want to become a superstar fighter, you need to control your opponents regardless of the situation,” Costa said.
In the recent past, injuries have plagued Costa. He has had five canceled bouts since 2021, including a showdown with Whittaker himself at UFC 284. He also backed out of his last scheduled fight against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, citing an elbow infection as the reason for withdrawal.
Costa feels injuries are part and parcel of the sport, and says he intends to keep himself mentally prepared for such adversaries.
“During situations like those (where injuries force him to withdraw from fights), I just do what I’m supposed to do: come back to training as soon as possible. Yeah, injuries happen, but those are out of our control, and I have to keep my mind strong enough to comeback from the setbacks without much trouble,” he said.
Costa is often referred to as the “knockout bully” by his fans on social media. As his moniker suggests, Costa’s inclination towards finishing an opponent is evident, as he has 12 finishes—11 knockouts, and one submission—in the 16 fights he’s been featured in. Costa reveals that his training includes strategies to finish his opponents.
“When I’m taking on a much stronger fighter, which has been the case for me often, I have to be focused and look for opportunities to finish the game. During training, I specifically focus on finishing because I don’t want to be a boring fighter,” he says with a grin.
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The sixth-ranked middleweight fighter is confident of becoming a middleweight champion and feels that the weekend’s fight will catapult him close to a title fight.
“My dream is to become a champion. I think I have what it takes to be one, and hopefully the next fight will be the last before I’m put on a championship roster. Once I do that, I want to help other people take this sport up, and I want my name written in the UFC’s history books,” he concluded.
UFC 298 fight card:
Watch UFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria on 18th February 2024 from 8:30 AM IST onwards LIVE on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu).
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