Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua has reiterated his desire to step into the Octagon with Anderson Silva, but is refusing to look beyond his next opponent Jon Jones.

Rua defends his light heavyweight crown against the highly-rated youngster 'Bones' Jones at UFC 128 in New Jersey, but he admits he would jump at the chance to fight the middleweight champion.

"Now I'm focused on Jon Jones," Rua told Brazil's Tatame. "It's a sin to speak about my next fight when I'm thinking about a man like Jon Jones. So I'm focused on him, but I already answered.

"It's obvious I'd fight Anderson. I respect him as a friend and a professional, but I also am a professional. Yes, I'd fight him."

However, a potential all-Brazilian showdown may be some way off. With Silva having recently dispatched compatriot Vitor Belfort at UFC 126, he awaits welterweight champion Georges St Pierre, should the Canadian see off challenger Jake Shields at UFC 129 in Toronto, with 'Rush' expected to relinquish his title and move up to the middleweight division.