“I need to defend my title against Eddie Alvarez,” lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos said on Inside MMA.
On Wednesday, lightweight kingpin Rafael dos Anjos called for a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov in July. The Brazilian has had a change of heart, however, after Nurmagomedov has been booked with late-replacement Darrell Horcher following Tony Ferguson’s withdrawl from the UFC on FOX 19 main event.
Dos Anjos, who has called out Robbie Lawler in the past and was expected to defend his title against Conor McGregor last month (the Kings MMA fighter pulled out with a broken foot), is desperate for a spot on the UFC 200 PPV and believes he’ll be fighting Eddie Alvarez.
The 31-year-old spoke to Bas Rutten and Mauro Ranallo on Inside MMA on Friday (h/t BJPenn.com) and expressed his interest in the bout, although he’s open to fight “anybody, any weight”.
“Maybe they have different plans for me, “said dos Anjos. “I need to defend my title against Eddie Alvarez. I think he is maybe the No. 1 contender,” dos Anjos said. “He is coming off a victory over Anthony Pettis, a former champion. But I told them, I fight anybody, any weight.”
Dos Anjos shocked the world when he battered Anthony Pettis from pillar-to-post at UFC 185 to become the 155-pound champion and has cemented himself as a top 10 pound-for-pound talent since his first-round TKO of Donald Cerrone in December.
Alvarez is currently riding a two-fight win streak, toppling “Showtime” and Gilbert Melendez, and has emerged as a top contender in the UFC since leaving his championship belt behind in Bellator.
UFC 200, which will host a welterweight rematch between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz, will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 9th.