Lastly anticipated to make his long-anticipated return to the Octagon at UFC 298 in March, former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker is hotly-closing as a brief betting favourite to beat former title challenger, Paulo Costa of their grudge battle.
Whittaker, a former undisputed middleweight titleholder, and present quantity three ranked divisional contender, has been sidelined since he featured on the primary card of UFC 290 again in July of final yr throughout Worldwide Combat Week, struggling a stunning second spherical TKO loss to incoming UFC 297 headliner, Dricus du Plessis.
As for Belo Horizonte native, Costa, the previous title chaser and present quantity six ranked challenger, has but to function within the Octagon since 2022, most lately beating former undisputed middleweight kingpin, Luke Rockhold in a unanimous resolution effort, snapping his two-fight dropping skid.
And following a number of battle fallouts – specifically in opposition to the above-mentioned, Whittaker, Brazilian favourite, Costa is ready to battle at UFC 298, nonetheless, is closing as a betting underdog.
Robert Whittaker betting favourite to beat Paulo Costa at UFC 298
And when you’re planning on betting on the -185 betting favourite, Robert Whittaker – yow will discover an in depth evaluate by the Hudson Journal on betting in Australia, the place the previous champion has headlined in on a number of ocassions.
Closing as a betting underdog – drawing odds of +154 forward of his scheduled return to the Octagon, Costa was initially anticipated to battle Robert Whittaker at UFC 294 again in February of final yr ‘Down Beneath’, nonetheless, did not pen official bout agreements for a middleweight conflict.
And slated to then compete in opposition to unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 again in October of final yr in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Costa withdrew from the bout with the Chechen rival attributable to a nasty bursitis an infection in his elbow – which required a number of surgical procedure procedures to be able to deal with.
With out a victory for the reason that premier UFC Combat Evening Paris card again in 2022, Robert Whittaker’s most up-to-date win got here within the type of a unanimous resolution shutout victory over common-foe and former title chaser, Marvin Vettori in a visit to France.
Promoted to the undisputed middleweight titleholder following the official vacating of former two-weight gold holder, Georges St-Pierre, Whittaker turned in a pair of memorable wins over veteran fan-favorite,Yoel Romero in the course of the Cuban powerhouse’s pomp.
Additionally set for an attention grabbing UFC 298 card, undisputed featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski headlines in a title battle in opposition to unbeaten Georgian contender, Ilia Topuria within the promotion’s return to Anaheim, California.
Moreover, a possible bantamweight title eliminator is on deck as former two-weight champion and Olympic gold medal winner, Henry Cejudo returns in a conflict with one other Georgian expertise, the streaking, Merab Dvalishvili.
Trying to earn a bantamweight title battle, the pair are positive to have a eager eye on the primary occasion of UFC 299 in April, as polarizing star, Sean O’Malley takes on Ecuadorian favourite, Marlon Vera in his first tried protection of the bantamweight crown – as the 2 share the Octagon for the second time since a 2020 grudge match.
Who wins within the UFC 298 grudge battle: Robert Whittaker or Paulo Costa?
