Robert Whittaker waiting on Paulo Costa to agree to March 9 fight

Robert Whittaker has already started training camp, but is waiting for a long-time rival to reply, as he looks to get back towards a middleweight title fight.

Robert Whittaker has agreed to a March 9 fight with Paulo Costa, but has been waiting for more than a week for the Brazilian’s reply.

Looking to bounce back from a shock loss to Dricus du Plessis in July, Whittaker’s team told the UFC they’d “fight anyone” on the UFC 299 card planned for that date.

UFC matchmakers offered Costa, who is the next highest ranked fighter available, and The Reaper’s team readily agreed.

But one week on, and it’s been radio silence from Borrachinha.

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Paulo Costa is “playing games” according to Whittaker’s manager. Picture: Alejandro Salazar/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

“March 9 is the date Rob wants to fight, and he’ll fight anyone,” Whittaker’s manager Titus Day told this masthead. “He said he’d fight Costa, but now Costa’s saying he wants to fight (Khamzat) Chimaev.

“But Chimaev’s injured, and Costa knows that – he knows Chimaev can’t fight – so he’s just playing games I think.

“Rob’s ready to go and he’ll fight anybody. But in the top 10, there’s only Costa and Brendan Allen that could fight. Everyone else is either booked or injured, so that’s where we’re at.

“Costa said he wanted it, so sign the contract, buddy.”

Despite not hearing back from Costa, Whittaker has already started a 12 week training camp in preparation for March 9 (March 10 in Australia).

Whittaker’s training partner, fellow middleweight Jacob Malkoun, is also looking to lock in a fight at the same event.

The card will feature ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley defending the bantamweight title against Marlon Vera, with Islam Makhachev known to be interested in defending the lightweight title on the same card as well.

If it goes ahead, it will be the third time Whittaker and Costa have been matched. In 2021, Costa pulled out through injury, before their scheduled UFC 284 fight in Perth was scrapped due to the Brazilian’s contract dispute with the UFC.

Whittaker’s loss to du Plessis in Las Vegas five months ago was just his third loss at middleweight in 15 fights in the UFC.

South Africa’s Du Plessis will now fight Sean Strickland for the middleweight title at UFC 297 in Toronto in January after Strickland’s stunning win over Israel Adesanya in Sydney in September.

A win over Costa could propel Whittaker into another title fight against either Strickland or du Plessis later next year.

Costa’s most recent outing was an August 2022 win over former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. His unanimous decision win snapped a two-fight losing streak, including a one-sided second round stoppage defeat to Israel Adesanya for the title in 2020.

Costa was scheduled to face Chimaev at UFC 295 in Abu Dhabi in October but was forced out with a serious staph infection that required surgery.

Originally published as Robert Whittaker waiting on Paulo Costa to agree to March 9 fight