Dricus du Plessis had better think again if he has designs on challenging Alex Pereira for the UFC’s 205-pound title, according to the champ.

The South African underscored his status as the best 185-pound fighter in the world with a comprehensive decision win over Sean Strickland in the UFC 312 main event in Sydney, Australia over the weekend, meaning that Du Plessis has now defeated former middleweight champions in each of his past four bouts in the UFC cage (Strickland x2, Israel Adesnya, Robert Whittaker).

Speaking post-fight, Du Plessis heavily suggested that the unbeaten 185-pound contender Khamzat Chimaev should be the next man up for him — but added that he is also interested in pursuing a bout with the 205-pound champion Pereira who previously held the middleweight championship that now adorns DDP’s mantle.

But after news that Du Plessis has Pereira in his crosshairs reached the Brazilian, he had a simple message for the champ: be careful what you wish for.

“In the Octagon, he calls out Alex Pereira,” UFC commentator Daniel Cormier said on his personal YouTube channel, as noted by MMA Fighting.

“I told Pereira after the fight, I go, ‘He wants you, Pereira.’ Pereira goes, ‘He’s just too small.’ Seriously. Pereira goes, ‘This man is just too small.’”

Cormier added that as dominant a fighter as Du Plessis is, there is one notable challenge that remains in the former of Chimaev.

“Alex is huge though,” Cormier said. “He looked massive compared to Dricus. And I love that Dricus has these big goals, I just think he has work to do at middleweight before he starts thinking about going up — Khamzat Chimaev being problem number one.