Paulo Costa impresses with his friendly and positive attitude, exchanging handshakes on his way to the weigh-ins.
Paulo Costa demonstrates excellent sportsmanship with his meet-and-greet before stepping on the scales (Source: Instagram/UFC.go.com)
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns for its second pay-per-view event of the 2024 season. The highly anticipated UFC 298 card is set to take place in a few hours at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The ceremonial weigh-ins occurred at the nearby UFC host hotel in Irvine, California. Among the fighters present was the middleweight contender, Paulo Costa. He is scheduled to face the former middleweight champion in an exciting match.
Costa has faced several fight cancellations leading up to this event, which has hindered his progress. However, the latest footage from the weigh-ins shows him climbing a flight of stairs and greeting everyone he encounters. From the color commentator to various members of the management team and ring girls, Costa made an effort to shake hands with everyone.
In his last scheduled fight, Costa had to withdraw due to a serious staph infection. Despite his determination to compete, he underwent a third surgery, forcing him out of the game. As a result, many fight fans had little hope for his upcoming bout against Whittaker at UFC 298. Additionally, his online presence as a self-proclaimed meme God was met with criticism from fans.
Paulo Costa continues the tradition 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ghfiHhH4l1
However, things are expected to change as Costa prepares for UFC 298. He recently addressed his rival, ‘Gourmet Chechen’ Chimaev, and dismissed the possibility of fighting ‘Borz’ at the pre-fight press conference. Their rivalry has only intensified as a result. Only time will reveal whether Costa can capitalize on his newfound momentum.
Just hours before the UFC 298 card, prominent MMA media outlets such as MacLife/MMA Junkie were on-site to cover the event. They documented the official fighter weigh-ins that took place on Friday, capturing numerous noteworthy moments.
Minutes before the weigh-ins, UFC officials informed MMA Junkie and other reporters that the heavyweight preliminary bout had been canceled due to Tafa’s sudden injury. However, a replacement was quickly found, making it one of the most exciting replacements in weigh-in history.
A deal was made right at the weigh-in, resulting in the inclusion of the replacement fighter. Apart from that, all other fighters successfully completed their weigh-ins.
On the main card (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET):
Here are the weigh-ins for the second preliminary card (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET) –
And the weigh-ins for the first preliminary card (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET) –
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According to the Source firstsportz.com