“Why did you tag me, Robert? Do you really want this fight? It’s admirable. If we have a deal, February is good for me. What do you think?”,” Costa wrote on social media, referring to the Australian.
The day before, Whittaker posted a training photo, tagging Costa and listing UFC 299 as the location of his next fight.
Whittaker and Costa were scheduled to meet at UFC 284 in Perth last year, but the bout was canceled due to protracted negotiations over the Brazilian’s new contract.
The Australian and Brazilian are currently ranked third and sixth in the UFC’s middleweight division rankings, respectively.
UFC 299 will take place on March 9, and its main event will be a featherweight title fight between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera.