This fighter is on the cusp of a title shot.

That fighter is Kelvin Gastelum. Even though the middleweight division is currently star-studded with worthy fighters and contenders, he is still eyeing a title shot even though he won’t get one in a little bit.

However, that won’t stop him from targeting the fight that will get him closest to the strap. He opened up on his plans during a recent interview with ESPN.

“Just the fight that will get me to the title shot,” Gastelum said on a recent episode of ESPN’s 5ive Rounds podcast.

“That’s the fight I want. I know I probably won’t get a title shot next, but I want to fight the No. 1 contender.”

In the event that the chance comes available at welterweight, he is not against the idea of cutting back down to 170 pounds, which he has had an issue with doing in the past.

In regards of potential opponents that he could fight in the world famous Octagon under the UFC banner, he has a name in mind, which is Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

To add to that, he believes that he would win the fight but is a bit weary of fighting the Brazilian at UFC 224 due to it being in Souza’s home country.

“If it’s at welterweight, I will make the cut. The cut is dreadful and the diet is extreme, but if it’s worth it, I will do it.”

“I would love to fight in Rio, and obviously a fight with Jacare would propel me to where I want to go. I’m scared of that commission. I don’t know what to think of the commission,” Gastelum said.

“I should probably talk to someone in the commission or [UFC vice president of regulatory affairs] Marc Ratner.

Hopefully, he’d keep me safe and nothing happens to my [drug] samples. I just don’t know what to think of the commission over there.”