Kamaru Usman has vowed to hurt Conor McGregor "very bad" if they fight later in the year.
The Notorious makes his UFC return on January 18 when he faces Donald Cerrone in Las Vegas.
Should he record a first victory in the Octagon since 2016, McGregor will then target a title shot at either 155lb or 170lb.
Usman retained his belt by stopping Colby Covington in the final round last month - and is open to facing McGregor.
But he warned: "It is a mismatch. More power to him, anything is possible. A fight is a fight, anything can happen.
"But just being real, that’s a tremendous mismatch. I think I would hurt him really, really bad."
Usman, however, wants to see McGregor beat a highly-ranked welterweight before targeting a title shot.
He added: "Conor doesn’t even really make sense.
"Sure, if he comes in the division and beats someone pretty high up there and really makes the case for himself that he can really handle himself in the division, then absolutely I would entertain that fight."
McGregor has also expressed an interest in fighting Jorge Masvidal at welterweight - but would rather become a three-weight champion.
“I’d face Jorge. I’m not going to 170 just for Jorge,” he told The Mac Life. "He hasn’t really got anything. I wasn't really that happy with how that [fight with Nate Diaz] ended.
"I think it’s unfinished. In my opinion, that bout is unfinished. It was only getting into a good bout, I believe. We were robbed of rounds four and five in that bout.
“But I like that welterweight belt. I liked that welterweight title fight that was on the weekend, I liked the look of that. I liked the look of Kamaru Usman. I liked the look of Colby [Covington]. I’m open to it all at 170.”
If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
