Media Paulo Costa demands 500k to fight Robert Whittaker

Question said:
I'm just assuming with that last part, It's the only reason I can think of as to why the UFC doesn't even seem to be trying to find a replacement for Rob on the Perth card.
IMO they're showing shades of the Khamzat/Diaz situation except this matchup is not nearly as bad, but the concept is similar with the UFC trying to matchup Costa with one of the harder matchups in the division to send him out on a loss for his last fight on his contract.
To add on, Rob mentioned the UFC are aiming for him to fight in March/April and Costa said by this point he wouldn't be able to get ready for February anymore along with March/April being a realistic return date for himself.

Again this is all speculation on my part, but I find it stupid to not keep Rob on the Perth card at all when he's clearly ready to fight a replacement there. Cannonier would be a good one even if we've seen that before, he said he'd be willing to step up and fight Rob in a rematch for UFC 284 and I don't doubt there's at least a couple more saying the same.
It just seems to me the UFC are trying to use Rob to make Costa look bad, but at the same time it's at the expense of Rob by wasting his time by making him prepare for a fight that was never signed off on.
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I haven't really followed the news arkund this, but how likely do you think it is that Robert doesn't get a replacement for Perth? What are exactly the signs that make you think he won't get a replacement?
 
Oh and for all the shit Khamzat still gets, lets not forget there was even a bigger drama around Costa not being able to make weight just one fight before his last. But apparently people think he should get paid like a champ despite that.
 
bjjwar said:
Sry, but people feeling outraged (not you) by a dude with a lambo that doesn't even work for 1 year and has the nerve to complain about money is just retarded. He has the right to negociate a better contract after he fullfilled the one he signed or to leave, but let's not act like he's a slave or anything when the guy earns more than 99,9% of people the world for punching someone in the face 15 min a year lol. A doctor could say, i work 80hrs a week, save hundreds of lives and get peanuts compared to some random guy partying everyday who punches people in the face for 15min a year, but Costa, he should lick the UFC's feet for being where he's at in life, not spit on them...
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Where did you get that Lambo story? He has a regular Jeep. Only Lambo what I have seen was marketing for a car rental.
At least in western Europe a doctor makes quite a lot more than Costa a year, and you do not need to work more than 40h/week or get CTE, you can also have a career for over 40 years. There is no need to make that money for retirement in few years of your prime, like it is for athletes.

I would never risk my life for those peanuts, what many athletes get. There are better career choices.
 
Iroh said:
I haven't really followed the news arkund this, but how likely do you think it is that Robert doesn't get a replacement for Perth? What are exactly the signs that make you think he won't get a replacement?
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Rob said at the beginning that they're looking to rebook him for March/April:


Cannonier who just had a win over Strickland and is a top five opponent said that he'd be available for the Perth card, however he didn't even receive a call(timestamped):


It seems like the UFC aren't even trying to keep him on there, again which leads me to believe they're still trying to do Rob/Costa for a later date.
 
Siver! said:
Nobody would actually care if a midcarder got $500k, though, because it's not outrageous or groundbreaking.

Even if the beans got spilled, so what?

It's a pittance, and poor remuneration.
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500k is still more than 90% of the roster makes. If a fighter that looks to be on their way out of the top 5, if not already, can demand that type of money it opens the flood gates for every top 10 fighter in every division. And again, that is more than most are getting
 
Paulo is a big name.. maybe not gonna win the title but hes up there and ppl like him.
 
Conan the K-9 said:
Where did you get that Lambo story? He has a regular Jeep. Only Lambo what I have seen was marketing for a car rental.
At least in western Europe a doctor makes quite a lot more than Costa a year, and you do not need to work more than 40h/week or get CTE, you can also have a career for over 40 years. There is no need to make that money for retirement in few years of your prime, like it is for athletes.

I would never risk my life for those peanuts, what many athletes get. There are better career choices.
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I saw stories he posted. The thing is, if he never fought or fights from now on in the UFC it doesnt make any difference for them whatsoever. He needed/needs them to be where he is, they dont need him at all. There’s a contract, so i dont get why the UFC should now pay him more for a fight he signed to for a certain amount of money. He can do whatever he wants after, no one is forcing him to renegociate a new contract after, but trust me he will since he’d never even get close to what he’s making for 25min a year and 365 days of partying anywhere else. Ofc the UFC is a business, but spitting on the hand that feeded you irks me a bit.
 
Question said:
Rob said at the beginning that they're looking to rebook him for March/April:


Cannonier who just had a win over Strickland and is a top five opponent said that he'd be available for the Perth card, however he didn't even receive a call(timestamped):


It seems like the UFC aren't even trying to keep him on there, again which leads me to believe they're still trying to do Rob/Costa for a later date.
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Thanks, buddeh! I appreciate it a lot! Will check those vids out later.
 
rjmbrd said:
Because they need a world ranked opponent to headline the card?
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“world ranked opponent”.

You mean of course other than UFC FW champion, and number 1 p4p Volkanovski? And UFC LW champion, and number 2 p4p Islam? In a fight for the LW belt.

And number 2 Yair, vs number 5 Emmett? Fighting for the interim FW title?

“world ranked” but anybody other than those 4 guys, right?

lol, Costa is literally ranked lower than all 4 of the guys named above.

BruisedIdioticKudu-max-1mb.gif
 
He's already signed and agreed to a contract.

UFC is right to keep divas in their place
 
In my humble armchair opinion Costa is worth that to the UFC per fight easy. Guy is very exciting to watch, you know you're in for a good fight when he is fighting. He is a major draw card and has personality for days.
 
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FIghtxIQ said:
This is why more and more are deciding to be free agents or cross over into boxing instead.
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That avenue is also not the best one. It's more that they are going to Jake Paul than really boxing, besides Ngannou. But I doubt a guy like Costa could get good money outside a Jake Paul promotion. And I honestly wonder how long Jake's promotion will be around.
 
rjmbrd said:
Because they need a world ranked opponent to headline the card?

Why exactly do you think people are paying to see fights, now $80/PPV? Its because they want to see marquee name fighters. I don't care that the UFC tells me to drive a Harley and eat corn nuts, the promoter is nearly irrelevant. The only thing the promoter needs to do is get the better/best name guys to the cage.

If the UFC is making record profits but also can't get 500k deals done to fight one of the best in the world, the money is going the wrong places. The promoter shouldn't be keeping 82% its bad for the customer.
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Well said.

Let's face it, Costa may not be a champion, but he is an exciting fighter. His worst performance ever was when he choked against Izzy.

Before that, Costa was undefeated and on fire. His fight with Vettori was exciting and even the Rockhold fight was exciting.

Whittaker / Costa is a banger of a fight, and the UFC should pay exciting fighters at least that much.
 
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