Former DREAM light heavyweight champion, Gegard Mousasi (34-3-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) , is hopeful that a win over the “The Dragon” at next weekends ‘UFC Fight Night 36’ event will result in a middleweight title shot.

That’s what the “Dreamcatcher” told Ariel Helwani during his recent appearance on ‘The MMA Hour’:

“Getting the chance to fight Machida, I’m excited. Maybe I can get the chance to fight for the title after this because there is not many contenders at middleweight at this moment, I believe. So, at this moment, I’m more excited and this is a fight I cannot lose. I must win, and this is the mentality going into the fight.”

Mousasi won his UFC debut in April, this after coming over from the Strikeforce promotion. He defeated Ilir Latifi, who was a late fill-in for an injured Alexander Gustafsson, in the main event of the Swedish fight card.

The “Dreamcatcher” now puts his impressive mixed martial arts record on the line against former UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida. “The Dragon” made his middleweight debut in October with a knockout victory over Mark Munoz.

The “UFC Fight Night 36” event takes place on Saturday February 15, live from arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The main card airs on FOX Sports 1.

Who do you have winning this key middleweight bout Penn Nation, and do you see the winner getting to fight the winner of May’s Belfort vs. Weidman fight? Sound off!

By Chris Taylor