UFC 146, Daniel Cormier Wants Name Recognition Next, Wants Shane Carwin

Daniel Cormier's dominant victory over Josh Barnett has cemented the Olympic wrestler's status as the hottest heavyweight prospect in the sport and has fans considering him as a legitimate challenger for the UFC heavyweight title.

Cormier, who trains out of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, now has his sights set on entering the UFC, where he will be only a few fights away from a title shot.

But, until then, he will be obligated to finish out his contract with Strikeforce, where he hopes to face a much more recognizable opponent.

"I think if there is a plus one and Zuffa's going to send someone over it is going to have to be someone that is very good you know? Maybe Carwin, as he's coming back," Cormier said during an appearance on The MMA Hour.

"He's a guy with a lot of name value and I don't necessarily know if that's a step up [from Josh Barnett] but that is somebody with name value."

After running through Antonio Silva and Barnett, there is not much left for Cormier to accomplish while competing in Strikeforce. 

Cormier remains undefeated in his professional career, owning a 10-0 record, and it would be pointless for the 33-year-old to be competing in rematches or against lesser competition right now.

Cormier suggested that this weekend's UFC 146 could present some opportunities for him and line him up for a future bout with the UFC's top contenders. 

But, after defeating a credible opponent in Barnett, it's evident that Cormier is ready to test his skills in the sport's premier organization.

For now, he'll have to wait and see.

"Nothing really adds up right now, I don't know, I don't know how to guess what they are going to do," he said. "There are not too many guys that are a step up from that Josh Barnett that showed up on Saturday."