Kamaru Usman has priced himself out of a fight with Israel Adesanya after claiming it would take $100 million for him to enter the octagon with his "brother".
Usman is currently the reigning welterweight champion and is ranked as the leading pound-for-pound fighter in the promotion.
The Nigerian has proposed a switch to middleweight in a bid to become double-champion after Jan Blachowicz faced Adesanya for the light-heavyweight belt.
However, Usman has now claimed that he is unlikely to make the move to middleweight while Adesanya holds the belt.
“I’ve said it before, as long as Israel Adesanya is the champion, I have no interest in going there," Usman told Jim Rome.
"But when Jan Blachowicz was the champion at light heavyweight, of course, I thought it was a great matchup.
"I’m not saying I would just demolish the whole light heavyweight division. I’m saying I thought that was a great matchup, and I thought that I would have been a two-time champion, and skipping middleweight and becoming the light heavyweight champion.
“I’ve said it before, Adesanya’s a fellow Nigerian. A good guy. I like him, I like his approach. I’ve said it — I’d rather two Nigerians have belts than one Nigerian with two belts.
“If Dana [White] is willing to sit us down and say, $100 million, ‘Hey guys, let’s split this up,’ at that point Israel and I would have to talk.
"Because at that point, my little brother, my blood brother, we would have to talk and say, ‘Hey, let’s go out here and make this money.’”
The Nigerian pair have made a serious impression on the promotion with Adesanya now having signed a contract to make him the second highest-paid star in the UFC.
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Usman will now face a couple of months out of action after having hand surgery and is targeting a return in July.
His likely next opponent could be a title defence against Leon Edwards after the British star cemented his status in the division with victory over Nate Diaz.
Usman has conquered most of the recent challenges posed to his title including Gilbert Burns, Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington.
The 34-year-old's manager Ali Abdelaziz has previously stated that he would like to see Usman leap up to middleweight and challenge Adesanya.
Another potential challenge could come from rising star Khamzat Chimaev who is drawing attention for his fine recent displays.
Usman has admitted he is enjoying being at the top of the division and is ready for any realistic challenge that lands his way.
“There’s a reason there’s a structure to get here,” Usman told MMA Fighting.
"So he’s done great with the opposition that he’s been presented, and by the time he gets here, once he gets here, of course we’ll have that conversation.
"But I am the champion. I am the pound-for-pound best in the world. I am the king of the castle. Everybody wants a piece of me. So that’s good. I like that."
