In an eagerly anticipated bout set to take place at UFC 298 this Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is preparing to face the powerful Paulo Costa. The fight will serve as the co-main event of the pay-per-view (PPV) card.

Costa, determined to secure a second chance at the 185-pound crown, will have to overcome the "violence" of Whittaker before he can set his sights on the division title, which is currently held by Dricus Du Plessis. Speaking at the UFC 298 media day, Costa expressed his confidence in defeating Whittaker and claimed that it would propel him to the top of the rankings.

"After my fight against Whittaker, for sure," Costa stated. "I don't see another way different than going straight for the belt after I beat Whittaker on Saturday. I have no other way to go. It's me. Beating him, I'll be the next in line."

Although Costa's (14-2) potential title shot is within reach, he may face stiff competition from rising middleweight phenom Khamzat Chimaev. Despite not having a long list of notable victories in the division, Chimaev has garnered significant attention from the promotion and UFC oddsmakers, who seem to be captivated by his skills.

While Costa acknowledges the hype surrounding Chimaev, he doesn't consider him a serious threat. "Of course, everybody knows that I don't like the guy," Costa commented. "But I don't think too (many) people take him so serious anymore. He didn't beat anybody in the middleweight division, top contenders or even Top 15."

Costa's animosity towards Chimaev aside, he remains solely focused on his upcoming bout with Whittaker. The Brazilian fighter is determined to defeat his opponent and added, "After I beat Whittaker, I will not want to hear his name - f*ck him. He needs to do something. He needs to beat somebody at least Top 10 in the middleweight (division). That's my thoughts about him."

UFC 298 also promises an exciting main event, as featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski defends his title against undefeated Spanish contender, Ilia Topuria. The event marks the return of UFC to Honda Center after a hiatus of over two years.

MMAmania.com will provide comprehensive coverage of the entire UFC 298 fight card, including live round-by-round updates on the website. The event will kick off with early ESPN+ "Prelims" at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard matches on ESPN/ ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the main PPV card begins at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

UFC 298 promises to be an action-packed event, showcasing some of the sport's top talents and setting the stage for potential middleweight title implications should Costa emerge victorious in his clash against Whittaker.