Ben Henderson vs. Eddie Alvarez? 'Smooth' hopes the ex-Bellator champ makes it to UFC to 'up the level of competition'

Ben Henderson is a busy little beaver.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion is set to welcome Gilbert Melendez to the Octagon when they hook 'em up in the upcoming UFC on FOX 7 main event on April 20, 2013 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California.

And after that?

Well, if "Smooth" proves victorious, things could get interesting, especially since division number one contender, Anthony Pettis, would rather drop 10 pounds and fight Jose Aldo in August than wait around to see how things play out with "El Nino."

What a fine time to have Eddie Alvarez join the ranks of ZUFFA.

"I hope Eddie makes it to the UFC," said Henderson during a recent fighter Q&A. "It would be great to have him over, he's a tough fighter. I'm a pretty big fan of Eddie, I love his fighting style. He's a great fighter, a ex-world champion, he's awesome. He would definitely up the level of competition. As a fighter, you want to face the best. The better fighters we have in the UFC, the better it is."

Before Alvarez goes anywhere, he must first settle his lawsuit with Bellator.

Bjorn Rebney and Co. took their former champion to court over a contract dispute after matching an incoming offer from UFC. As expected, the situation got "ugly" and Alvarez remains unable to compete while the courts decide his fighting future.

Whether or not he ever makes an appearance inside the Octagon remains to be seen, but we know of at least one fellow fighter who'd love to have him.