In a strange twist to his prior interactions with Cody Rhodes over the now infamous Young Bucks 6-man dropkick spot from Ring Of Honor’s Final Battle, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier seems to be campaigning for a spot in the 2018 Royal Rumble match, which takes place in Philadelphia on January 28.

He told Sports Illustrated that he would love to be a surprise entrant:

“I wish I could be in the Royal Rumble this year. I don’t think they will invite me, but fighting against Oezdemir in Boston works for me time wise. My fight is in January, which opens up WrestleMania for me [in] New Orleans; not to compete, but to go.”

Daniel Cormier’s fight against Volkan Oezdemir takes place at UFC 120 in Boston on January 20, just eight days before the Royal Rumble. Despite being the defending Light Heavyweight Champion, he will fight in the co-main event as UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic defends against fast rising Francis Ngannou in the headlining fight.

Daniel Cormier has long been a fan, and even a proponent of professional wrestling, and other mixed martial artists have made the transition from MMA to wrestling, and vice-versa. TNA/Impact Wrestling used such talents as Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and of course Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar have decorate careers in both venues. That’s just a small sampling of those who have crossed over from the ring to the (MMA) cage.

It remains to be seen whether Daniel Cormier is trying to position himself for an element of his post-UFC career (he already has his broadcasting job), or if he is trying to cash in on his UFC stardom with a marquee WWE match now. But it’s the Royal Rumble that is next on the horizon for WWE–do you want to see Daniel Cormier as a surprise entrant?