Two of the hottest lightweight prospects outside the UFC could be heading to the Octagon any day now, and if it’s up to Eddie Alvarez, he’d like to be the one to derail the Gilbert Melendez hype train.
Last Friday, Alvarez took a serious shot at “El Nino,” basically saying that his recent call out of UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is a joke…and that’s putting it nicely.
“Why does Gil .M continue to call out people He knows he cant fight. Hes like the HS cheerleader who wants to s*** off every new QB.
— Edward Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) December 14, 2012“
Alvarez, who just received a contract offer from the UFC, could still end up fighting for Bellator in 2013 as they decide whether or not they decide to match the offer.
“The Silent Assassin” boasts a 9-1 record under the Bellator banner, defeating the likes of Shinya Aoki, Pat Curran and Roger Huerta. His sole loss came against Michael Chandler in a lightweight title fight last November.
Meanwhile, Melendez, the reigning Strikeforce 155-pound title holder, is expected to head over to the Octagon shortly after his current promotion folds in January.
The Cesar Gracie brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is riding a seven-fight win streak, though many fans and analysts alike felt he should have lost a very close rubber match against Josh Thompson in May.
The judges that night disagreed, though, as the champion walked away with a split decision victory.
Should Alvarez and Melendez make their way to the UFC next year, should it be academic that they now square off against one another?
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