UFC 298 odds have been released, and the card features an interesting middleweight co-main event on Saturday, with Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa as the co-headlining bout on the pay-per-view. The former UFC middleweight champ Whittaker comes in as the favorite at odds of . The heavy-hitting Costa is the underdog at .
Top online sportsbooks have released multiple prop bet odds for the UFC 298 co-main event, giving bettors options for wagering on every aspect of how and when the night’s co-headliner will end. Below, we’ll look at some of the best prop bet odds for this UFC 298 fight.
Whittaker vs. Costa UFC 298 prop bets
Method of victory props
Whittaker (24-7) is coming off a knockout loss to current champ Dricus Du Plessis in July. That was just Whittaker’s third loss as a middleweight in the UFC, and only his second loss inside the distance at 185 pounds. For the last decade, Whittaker has been one of the most consistent performers in the weight class. He’s not known as a particularly aggressive finisher, and while he’s a technically sound striker, he lacks one-shot power. His last six wins have all come via decision, and he hasn’t won a fight inside the distance since 2017. When he does finish fights, it’s almost always via TKO/KO. He hasn’t won a fight via submission in almost 13 years, and he has zero submission wins in the UFC.
Costa (14-2) is known as a power puncher who’s unpredictable both in and out of the cage. He has a reputation for failing to make it to fight night due to any number of reasons, and at times he’s flagrantly come in over the weight class limit with zero apologies. Despite all that, he’s still a capable and dangerous fighter with a knack for baiting opponents into the kind of brawls that favor his style. All but two of his UFC wins have come via TKO/KO, though he’s had less success with his head-hunting approach as he’s moved up the ranks. He’s only been finished once in his career, and it was by longtime champ Israel Adesanya.
Round props
Whittaker is the type of fighter who typically settles in for a full night of work in the cage. Win or lose, he hasn’t had a fight end in the first round since 2016. His knockout losses to Du Plessis and Adesanya both came in the second round, but when he has his way, he’s more likely to outpoint opponents as the fight wears on.
Costa is typically most dangerous early in a fight. His heavily muscled physique and power-punching style sometimes add up to a cardio issue in the later rounds, especially if he has to fight at his opponent’s pace. Costa’s first nine fights all ended in the first round, and he won all of them. As he faced tougher opposition in the UFC, however, he began to find his groove as a second-round finisher after damaging opponents in the opening frame. He’s only won two fights in his career that went past the third round, and he was visibly fading in both of them.
How to watch UFC 298
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 17
- Early prelims: 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+
- Prelims: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ pay-per-view
