As the Verzuz battles have grown in popularity, music fans have thrown around fantasy battles suggesting artists they would like to see put their catalogs up against each other. From Diddy vs. Dre to Usher vs. Chris Brown, some of these potential pairings have resulted in intense debates amongst fans on social media.

And lately Mario’s name has been among the various R&B artists making the rounds online. Speaking to The Shade Room on Wednesday (August 5),  Mario said he already has the artist in mind that he wants to challenge: Omarion

“I think O would be the only right fit for the people,” Mario explained to the outlet. 

A Verzuz battle would be the perfect reminder of Mario’s R&B reign in the early to mid 2000s, with a litany of hits such as “How Do I Breathe,” “Crying Out For Me,” “Breakup,” and “Let Me Love You.” Back in March, Ne-Yo brought out the latter against singer-songwriter Johnta Austin during their Verzuz battle. In a June interview with REVOLT, Mario commented on the moment, saying, “I was happy to see him and Johnta did that.” 

“Of course, it’s amazing to be a part of something like that,” he continued. “To this day when I hear the record, I still get chills. I understand it differently as an adult now, I was 17 when I first recorded it. In my mind, I hear it a lot differently. In my heart, I feel it a lot differently because I actually know what those words mean. Then, I didn’t know what those words meant.”