Dan Hardy admitted to setanta.com that he does not feel ready for Mike Swick after beating Marcus Davis at UFC 99.
Rumours have already started that Swick, who beat Ben Saundes via TKO, could be Hardy's next opponent, in what would be a real head-to-head for a place in the UFC welteweight division's top five.
However, Swick is desperate for a top top fight after amassing a 9-1 record in The UFC, and he even pleaded with Dana White to give him either GSP, Thiago Alves or Matt Hughes in the post-fight press conference.
Hardy predicts a battle with Swick would be 'awesome', but he believes the former middleweight is a step too far right now.
“With all due respect to Mike Swick, I think he’s a little ahead of me," Hardy told setanta.com.
“He’s 9-1 in The UFC, I’m 3-0. He really needs to get a big fight like he’s been asking for.
“I got chance to spend time with Mike during the Fight for the Troops week, he’s a great guy and I wish him all the best.
“If our paths cross in the future it would be an awesome fight, but as it is right now, he needs a bigger fight than me."
Swick trains with the likes of Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch and Cain Velasquez at the American Kickboxing Academy, but Hardy insists the American does not have an advantage when it comes to their respective quests for the 170lb title.
“I’ve got a really strong team building at Team Rough House.
“Jim Wallhead is on the verge of something amazing, I’m confident of that. I’ve got Paul Daly, Dean Amasinger, Nick Ozipczak, Andre Winner, it’s a great camp.
“All these guys push me, every day is a slog so I don’t think the likes of Swick have any advantage.
“I train out in America and have some tough sparring sessions, but I know the guys back in England will push me as far as I need to go when it comes to fight camp."