CALGARY – Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez believes there’s no other logical fight he should take next than one with Khabib Nurmagomedov.

And yet, Alvarez (29-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is resigned to the idea that even if he beats Dustin Poirier on Saturday at UFC on FOX 30, he’ll likely be leapfrogged by former two-division champ Conor McGregor.

“Nope,” Alvarez responded to MMAjunkie when asked whether he’d be upset if McGregor walked straight into a title shot. “That is the world we live in today, folks. We are all fools if we think otherwise.

“Brock Lesnar just walked in here and got a world title shot. This is what’s happening. We have no control – the media, myself, the fighters, no one. There is complete control. The UFC says who gets the next title shot. I have no control of that; I beat the guys in front of me. I could dominate everyone. Doesn’t matter. The money fight is what’s always going to count.”

McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) is expected to face Nurmagomedov (26-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC) later this year for a blockbuster fight. Although there are strong indicators the fight could be booked for T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 6 at UFC 229, Nurmagomedov is pushing for a meeting at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 3 at UFC 230.

Alvarez is happy the Irish star struck a plea deal with prosecutors over his role in an April bus attack. Although McGregor knocked him out to win the UFC lightweight title nearly two years ago, Alvarez doesn’t hold a grudge.

“It would be a sin for him to be locked up in his prime years, so I’m happy for him,” Alvarez told reporters in advance of his FOX-televised headliner at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “It’s good for the MMA world.”

Of more immediate concern to Alvarez is what happens after his fight with Poirier (23-5 MMA, 15-4 UFC), which marks a rematch from a controversial no-contest at UFC 211 in May 2017.

Alvarez, the No. 4 ranked fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings, is gambling he’ll be able to beat No. 5 Poirier and get a better contract by fighting out his current one.

“It’s a money thing,” Alvarez explained. “I think everybody’s underpaid, and I think the media also knows everybody’s underpaid, and I don’t think it’s talked about a lot. We all should get more.

“UFC makes a (expletive) load of money, and I want them to make money. They’re the best company. Without this sport, I would not be able to make a living. I want them to make tons of money. I’m not mad at that. I just want them to share a little with us, is all.”

But you won’t hear him complain about fairness when it comes to which fighter gets first crack at a UFC title. He’s also not interested in the spending habits of UFC President Dana White, who recently burned at least $1 million on a birthday party for his teenage son.

“I have businesses of my own,” Alvarez said. “I make money. The money I make and what I do for it, that has nothing to do with anyone. I want Dana to be able to throw million-dollar birthday parties for his kid. If he couldn’t do that, we wouldn’t be able to get paid what we do now. I just want him to share a little more.

“I think the company continues to grow and skyrocket and go from FOX to ESPN. They’re just going up and up. I just want the fighter to go with them.”

Some of Alvarez’s colleagues argue that collective bargaining is the best shot at fighters getting a bigger slice of the pie. He doesn’t disagree. But right now, he’s got other things on his mind.

Besides, Alvarez said, free agency isn’t always a bad thing.

“There’s always good things that come down the pipeline when you become a free agent, especially if you’re dedicated, committed, and constantly putting on good shows,” he said.

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