"Where is the link to sign" - Fans in splits after Paulo Costa shares screenshot of petition set up to kill him should he pull out of UFC 298

Paulo Costa appears to face a dire penalty should he withdraw from UFC 298.

Continuing to entertain his fans on social media, Costa shared a humorous and surprising post on Feb. 7. With a screenshot, Costa shared a fan-created petition to 'kill' the middleweight in the event of his withdrawal from UFC 298 on Feb. 17.

Though Costa saw the humor in the post, 'Borrachina' claimed fan perception of his career has gotten 'out of control' in his caption.

Regardless, fans ran with the joke in the comments beneath his post with some asking the former title challenger where they could sign the petition to ensure his presence for the pay-per-view co-main event.

One of the fans said:

"Mr. Costa we want you but in the octagon so where is the link to sign the petition"

Fan reacting to Paulo Costa's Instagram post [via @borrachinhamma on Instagram]

Some expressed concern for the middleweight — including UFC influencer Nina-Marie Daniele — claiming that a joke threatening murder had crossed the line.

However, most fans chose to find the post comedic while also joking about Costa's ongoing 'secret juice' gag.

Other comments read:

"Petition for Paulo Costa to release the secret juice recipe if he pulls out"

"Don't worry Paulo, I protect you"

"I love you mtfk but I have signed this"

"That's messed up"

"Where can we sign this petition Paulo? You still haven't sent me Secret Juice"

View more fan reactions to Paulo Costa's Instagram post below:

Fan reactions to Paulo Costa's Instagram post [via @borrachinhamma on Instagram]

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UFC 298: Paulo Costa vs. Robert Whittaker preview

As one of the most anticipated matchups of UFC 298, Paulo Costa returns to the octagon against former champion Robert Whittaker in the co-main event.

Though both fighters are fan favorites, neither saw any success in 2023. Whittaker went 0-1, losing dramatically to current champion Dricus Du Plessis, while Costa did not compete in the year. Should the Brazilian make the walk on Feb. 17, it will be his first appearance since defeating Luke Rockhold in August 2022.

Costa's recent inactivity has been the main source of fans worrying about his potential withdrawal, as the middleweight has had seven canceled bouts since signing with the UFC in 2017.