LAS VEGAS – Eddie Alvarez believes fighters, media and fans need to “wake up” when it comes to the use of interim titles in MMA.

Alvarez, a ONE Championship fighter, believes promoters – and in particular the UFC – are using interim titles as a means to not pay athletes. The former UFC and Bellator titleholder said everything he’s learnt from his time in the sport proves this to be true.

“From what I know, every situation I’ve been in, it’s a substitution to not to pay more,” Alvarez told reporters, including MMAjunkie, at Thursday’s ONE Championship media event in Las Vegas. “If I know a guy has an ego, he’s a little insecure and I don’t want to pay him, I said, ‘Hey, what do you think about a world title, buddy?’ And a young kid who don’t know anything goes, ‘Oh my god, I could be UFC champion.’ … And they their mind gets clouded and they don’t care about money anymore. They don’t even think about money. We all need to wake up.”

The use of interim titles in the UFC has undeniably gone up in recent years. It’s a particularly popular topic right now, because for the first time, two interim title fights will take place on one card at UFC 236 in April.

One of those bouts features UFC featherweight champ Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier in an interim lightweight title match. Before that booking was made, though, former interim champ Tony Ferguson was offered the spot.

Ferguson is perhaps the most glaring example of an interim title situation going bad, and Alvarez said he’s glad to see him give in to the UFC.

“Tony Ferguson, could you imagine? That’s the saddest story,” Alvarez said. “You got the interim belt, ‘Hey, you want another interim shot?’ After you kidding me? Are you guys kidding me? No one is talking about this. Two interim shots without a real title? It’s an absolute joke. It’s gone too far and something needs to be said. And I’m glad for Tony. He flipped them the bird and said, ‘Not happening, I want the real belt.’ And he deserves it. He deserves this shot. It’s good that fighters are speaking up now and saying things.”

To hear more from Alvarez, check out the video above.

For more on the ONE Championship schedule, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.