Even though Nate Marquardt was already promised a title shot last year, he now believes that he will get it if he beats Chael Sonnen.

"From what I understand, if I win this fight, I will get the shot," Marquardt told MMAWeekly Radio recently.

Marquardt will take on Sonnen at UFC 109 on Feb. 6. The next middleweight title bout will take place on April 10 at UFC 112. Vitor Belfort will fight Anderson Silva. The winner of that fight will potentially take on Marquardt next.

However, Marquardt is intent on having a rematch with Silva, and does not want to have to take on Belfort for the title (should Belfort beat Silva). Silva has stated that the next person who will hold the middleweight belt will be Marquardt. However, Silva did not say how Marquardt would win the belt.

"I wasn't sure when I heard that statement or read it or whatever, what exactly he meant," said Marquardt. "I assume he meant if he vacated or whatever. And that would be a little disappointing to me. I want a rematch with him and it would mean the world to me to get a rematch with him."

As fans may remember, Belfort was not the only middleweight to have been granted a title shot recently. In July 2009, UFC President Dana White said that Dan Henderson would get the next title shot if he beat Michael Bisping at UFC 100. Henderson won the fight, but White recanted on his statement. Next, Marquardt was given a title shot after proving that he was the top contender in the middleweight division. That, too, was pushed to the wayside. After Belfort's win over Rich Franklin at a catchweight of 195-lbs., he was given the next title shot.

"I think Belfort's a great fighter," said Marquardt. "I don't necessarily agree with him getting a shot or whatever, just because he really hasn't fought at [middleweigt]. But to be honest, it doesn't really matter too much to me because I've got a good fight coming up, and to me I'm going to have to fight all those guys anyways, so it doesn't really matter."