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WINNIPEG – Dustin Poirier is convinced Eddie Alvarez has no interest in fighting him again, but that won’t stop his pursuit of a rematch with the former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion.

Poirier (22-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) and Alvarez (29-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) fought to a no-contest at UFC 211 in May. The fight was exciting while it lasted, but then an illegal knee by Alvarez led to a premature ending. “The Diamond” has been asking to run it back ever since.

With Alvarez coming off a win over Justin Gaethje at UFC 218 and Poirier having topped Anthony Pettis at UFC Fight Night 120, Poirier said there’s no better time to do it again.

“He’s the only guy in the top three, four that’s available now,” Poirier said at a fan Q&A prior to Friday’s UFC on FOX 26 weigh-ins. “Everyone is tied up or waiting on Conor McGregor to come back. I’m trying to get a shot at gold. The only way to do that is to beat the top guys. And because I owe him an ass-whooping, let’s be honest.

“A rematch is something that’s fun for me because like I said, I owe Eddie Alvarez a whooping,” he continued. “Same thing with Conor, but I’m not in the chasing rematch business. I’m in the chasing gold business. So whoever has the belt, that’s who I want to fight, honestly.”

Poirier said he doesn’t fully understand the lack of interest in a rematch from his opposing fighter. Alvarez said following his knockout of Gaethje at UFC 218 that he is pursuing a “mega-fight” at 155 pounds, and apparently Poirier doesn’t fit in that category.

Poirier has another theory, though, and it’s quite simple: He feels Alvarez is worried he would take a loss.

“I think him and his team know it’s a bad matchup for him – really, that’s it,” Poirier said. “The guy’s a multiple-time world champion, fought all over the world, fought the best guys in the world for the last 10 years. I used to be a fan of him, as well. I still respect him as a fighter, but as a person and a fan, I’m no longer that. But yeah, I think it’s a bad matchup, and he knows it. He got 10 minutes of it the last fight, found a way to get a no-contest instead of a loss, and he’s trying to move on and not reply, not respond and not even talk about the fight, really.”

Although Alvarez is at the top of Poirier’s hit list, the lightweight contender said he’s not going to wait around forever. He wants it because it would do him wonders in terms of the divisional pecking order, but if Alvarez refuses, Poirier said he’s going to turn his attention elsewhere.

“If he doesn’t take the fight I’d like to fight the winner of Khabib (Nurmagomedov) and Edson (Barboza at UFC 219), but they might get a title shot,” Poirier said. “That’s what I’m saying. The top of the division, it’s at a standstill right now. Until Conor comes back, until Tony (Ferguson) defends. Something’s got to happen.”

For more on UFC on FOX 26, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

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