Alex Pereira wants to add some more gold to his trophy cabinet, and wants to go through the man who defeated his close friend Glover Teixeira to get it.

UFC middleweight champion Pereira has long been considered a candidate for a move to 205-pounds and reportedly only debuted in the UFC’s 185-pound fold so as to not present an obstacle to the (now) former champion. But while significant challenges await in his role as champion, including potentially Khamzat Chimaev should he switch to middleweight, Pereira says that he is open to seeking a measure of revenge against Jamahal Hill after the American’s emphatic win against Teixeira in Rio de Janeiro last weekend.

Hill, the new champion, has outlined his desire to face the man he replaced as the titleholder, Jiri Prochazka, in his first title defence but with the Czech fighter’s return date still unknown following surgery on a serious shoulder injury, Pereira says he would be more than happy to throw down.

A fight between the two champions would certainly be a blockbuster but also an intriguing stylistic battle between to 6ft4in champions who both have an impressive 79in reach. Pereira is perhaps the more refined striker, particularly with his technically excellent left hook in his arsenal, but Hill’s brief Octagon career has shown him to be adept as using distance to his advantage — particularly when looking for opportunities for his left high kick.

But another factor to consider is that the UFC might not be so keen in having Pereira move up so soon after winning the 185-pound championship — but with both Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz seemingly in Dana White’s bad books after their turgid title fight in December, who else is there?