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Robert Whittaker has branded Brazilian rival Paulo Costa a “bully” who has got nothing when the fight is taken to him, stressing: “If you don’t let the guy do what he wants, he falls apart”.
Whittaker is also promising to revive the “barbaric violence” that made him Australia’s inaugural UFC champion – and score his first finish since 2017 — when he fights alongside Alexander Volkanovski and Justin Tafa at UFC 298 in Anaheim this Sunday.
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In a huge weekend for Aussie MMA, three of the nation’s most popular fighters will throw down on a card topped by Volkanovski’s sixth UFC featherweight title defence breakout star Ilia Topuria.
Tafa, meanwhile, could go top 15 in the UFC heavyweight division if he can defeat Brazilian Marcos Rogerio de Lima, while Whittaker is also looking to punch his way back into title contention.
Ranked No.3 among UFC middleweights, ‘Bobby Knuckles’ is looking for a return to form after suffering a shock loss last start to the man who is now UFC champ, South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis.
Set to square off against Costa – who hasn’t fought since defeating Luke Rockhold 18 months ago —Whittaker has told Fox Sports Australia he will be bringing a more “violent” mindset, Sunday.
Currently ranked No.3 among UFC middleweights, the Sydneysider has also vowed to secure his first finish since stopping Jacare Souza in 2017.
Asked his thoughts on Costa this week, Whittaker replied: “Costa’s a bully.
“And if you let him do what he wants, he’s a dangerous fighter.
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“Is going to be a problem for anyone.
“But if you don’t let the guy do what he wants, he falls apart.
“We saw in his fight with Israel (Adesanya, at UFC 253 in 2020), he didn’t let Costa do anything and the guy was unbalanced the entire fight.
“And he got dismantled for that.
“So yes, he has aggression and power.
“The way he loads into punches and kicks, and his aggression behind it, that makes people wary.
“But like I said, you take those away from him and he’s got nothing.
“And I’m not going to give him an inch.
“I’m not going to play his game.
“He’ll will fall into mine.
“And when he does that, I’m going to dismantle him.”
Importantly, Whittaker stressed his mindset was also greatly improved from the DDP loss at UFC 290, a fight he has since admitted to Fox Sports Australia he likely should have delayed given the injuries he carried into the bout.
While the former champ has refused to make excuses and detail said injuries, or even his preparations generally, there is no doubting a troublesome camp took a heavy toll.
The Australian favourite has also vowed to knock Costa out in what would be a huge statement win, declaring: “I want to make a point in this fight … put him away.”
So as for who needs to make that point for?
“It’s for me,” Whittaker continued.
“So it isn’t like I need to make a point.
“I want to make one.
“And there’s a big difference there.
“Because want, that’s driven by myself.
“And I don’t want to just get in there and win.
“I want to get in there and hurt him.
“I’m going to rip his head off.
“I’m going to switch him off.
“I’m fast, I’m powerful and I’m going to take the fight to him.”
But as for that attitude being specific to this fight?
“It’s opposed to my last one,” Whittaker continued.
“Going into the du Plessis fight, my mindset was a bit … it wasn’t where I wanted it to be.
“You have to remember, we’re athletes of the highest order and hopefully we train and act accordingly.
“But at the end of the day we’re also fighting, and there is something primal and barbaric about that.
“And to bring out the best out of yourself as a fighter, yes, you need to have the elitism, the professionalism – but you also need that ruthless warrior.
“You need that aggression, that violence that comes with it.
“And the way my camp and different things played out last fight, it wore me down.
“By the time I stepped into that Octagon, I was a bit worn out.
“My mind wasn’t really … because of how much success I’ve had, because of how long I’ve been doing this I loosened the reigns on that a little bit.
Du Plessis fight ‘wake up call’ I needed | 01:02
“So I’ve really made a point to dig in and bring out what makes this game so much fun.”
Which includes finishing Costa?
“I can’t see the future,” Whittaker said.
“But I do know that I’ve been training for months to switch him off.
“To plant power hands on him.
“And that’s what I’ll be trying to do.
“What I learned from my last fight, there is too much to go into.
“But I will say it was a wake up call.
“And it will be good for me in the long run.
“It made me really assess some things that I’ve just mentioned about loosening the grip on.
“And Costa will know in the first exchange what he’s in for … and I’ll show you that.”
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