The UFC has made it clear that they are hoping to acquire the services of former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez. After the completion of his last contractual obligation with the tournament-based organization, Dana White and crew submitted an offer to …
The UFC has made it clear that they are hoping to acquire the services of former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez. After the completion of his last contractual obligation with the tournament-based organization, Dana White and crew submitted an offer to Alvarez in hopes of stealing him away.
Knowing a good thing when he sees it, Bellator president Bjorn Rebney believes that he matched the offer, which is a right he has based on the language of Alvarez’s original contract. Eddie seems to disagree.
“The Silent Assassin” sees the UFC as a fine dining experience and compared Bellator’s offer to McDonalds. While both organizations offered to metaphorically feed him dinner, there is no doubt that one meal will taste considerably better than the other.
Right now, Alvarez is reportedly being sued by Bellator, which strongly implies that he told Bjorn Rebney to take his Big Mac and fries somewhere else. Assuming that legal hurdles are cleared properly, the former lightweight champion should be signing a UFC contract sooner rather than later.
However, in the event that Eddie cannot get legal clearance to join the UFC, we can at least enjoy fantasizing about some of the potential matchups that await the world-ranked lightweight inside the Octagon.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most fitting opponents for Alvarez on the UFC roster.
The biggest story coming out of the Bellator camp doesn’t surround their move to Spike TV, the upcoming light heavyweight tournament or even a trio of title fights taking place in January. Instead, it focuses on the legal struggle between Bellator and …
The biggest story coming out of the Bellator camp doesn’t surround their move to Spike TV, the upcoming light heavyweight tournament or even a trio of title fights taking place in January. Instead, it focuses on the legal struggle between Bellator and former champion Eddie Alvarez.
Alvarez fought nine times for the promotion, which saw him win and defend the Bellator lightweight championship. However, with the world’s best lightweights fighting almost exclusively for the UFC, finding worthy competition for Alvarez was difficult.
In fact, due to the flaws of their tournament-style format, it took Bellator almost two years to give their champion a title defense. That sort of setting is not the environment that Alvarez can put his skills on display.
The current drama surrounds a matching period which was mandated by the existing contract Alvarez has with Bellator. Essentially, it states that Bellator has the right to match any official offer that Alvarez is willing to accept.
Long story short, the UFC sent an offer to Alvarez, Bjorn Rebney sent an offer back which he claims matches the UFC’s point for point (MMA Weekly via Yahoo Sports). Alvarez disagrees and is currently being sued by the company that made him famous (MMAFRENZY.com).
The overwhelming theory here is that Alvarez has quietly turned down Rebney‘s offer and will be heading to the UFC. Otherwise, why would Bellator be suing him?
So the question must be asked, if Eddie Alvarez ends up fighting inside the Octagon in 2013, how will he fare against the world-class crop of lightweights who are hungry to knock him from his Bellator-shaped pedestal?
Skill Assessment:
Alvarez has some of the best boxing in the lightweight division, but his ability to bait an opponent is absolutely incredible. Jack Slack broke down this incredible skill by detailing the head-kick knockout that Alvarez scored against Patricky “Pitbull” Freire. Go read that article if you haven’t already done so. It’s magnificent.
Anyone who has only heard of “The Silent Assassin” might think that striking is his only area of expertise. However, beginning in 2009, Alvarez won five consecutive bouts by way of submission, including wins over notable submission artists Josh Neer and Toby Imada.
With excellent conditioning, Alvarez has displayed an ability to keep his foot on the gas with the best of competition. The former Bellator champion went 25 minutes against Pat Curran and his battle against Michael Chandler went deep into the fourth round.
In addition, Alvarez has the benefit of training with one of the most talent-stacked fight teams in the world. As a member of Imperial Athletics (better known as The Blackzilians), Alvarez gets to work his striking with the likes of Tyrone Spong, Alistair Overeem and Melvin Guillard. He can fine tune his wrestling skills with Rashad Evans before sparring jiu-jitsu against world-class jiu-jitsu specialists like Marcus Aurelio and BraulioEstima.
Matchups Against UFC Stars:
Due to his powerful striking and fantastic footwork, the boxing of Alvarez is on point with the best strikers that live in the UFC’s lightweight division.
With quality wrestlers like Gray Maynard and Benson Henderson in the division, the takedown defense of Alvarez would be put to the test in bouts with the division’s elite. However, Alvarez has proven himself to be stellar in the clinch and has a quality sprawl.
In terms of ground work, Alvarez has been caught with a pair of submissions twice in his career. However, one of those came against grappling wizard ShinyaAoki and the other came shortly after Eddie was hurt badly with a strike.
The sole unavenged loss that Alvarez suffered in his lightweight career came against Michael Chandler. That fight showed what kind of trouble Eddie has when paired up against someone who can match him blow for blow in the striking department and also possesses an edge in terms of grappling.
In my opinion, Eddie Alvarez is a Top Five talent who has the well-rounded skills to defeat most stars on the UFC roster. I feel that he will have trouble with the absolute elite (Henderson, Maynard, Melendez and Cerrone) because each of those men can hang with anyone in a striking match, but he has an advantage if the fight hits the mat.
While there are quality grapplers at lightweight, only Donald Cerrone has the well-rounded skills that would be necessary to work this fight to the ground and secure a submission against Eddie.
Eddie can hang and I expect him to be a quality star in the UFC lightweight division over the next few years. However, I think those who expect him to immediately get into the title scene and blow past the guys currently on top are misguided in their views.
When the UFC announced that Jon Jones and Chael Sonnen would clash shortly after coaching opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter, the MMA world was spun into a frenzy. The fight was immediately announced for April 27 at the Prudential Center in N…
When the UFC announced that Jon Jones and ChaelSonnen would clash shortly after coaching opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter, the MMA world was spun into a frenzy. The fight was immediately announced for April 27 at the Prudential Center in New Jersey, although it was unclear as to which event the bout would headline.
According to a report from MMAJunkie.com, UFC 159 will serve as the home for one of the most hotly anticipated bouts in light heavyweight history.
This announcement comes exactly two weeks before the January 22 debut of The Ultimate Fighter, where Jones and Sonnen serve as coaches for the long-running program’s 17th season.
The history books need to be ready for this event, as Jones has the ability to tie the all-time record for consecutive light heavyweight title defenses and unofficially declare himself the greatest 205-pound fighter in MMA history.
Jones won his belt from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in early 2011 and has gone on to defend the belt against world champions Rampage Jackson, LyotoMachida, Rashad Evans and, most recently, VitorBelfort back at UFC 152.
Meanwhile, this fight marks the first bout at light heavyweight for Sonnen in years. “The American Gangster” had previously gained fame as a middleweight when he upset undefeated WEC champion Paulo Filho and later gave UFC champion Anderson Silva all that he could handle back at UFC 117.
Tune in to The Ultimate Fighter 17 every Tuesday night on FX. The program airs 9pm EST.
At the end of 2010, Chris Weidman was declared the No. 2 middleweight prospect on the planet, according to a scouting report from BloodyElbow.com. Fast forward two years and you’ll find that the Serra/Longo prodigy proudly sits with a 5-0 record i…
At the end of 2010, Chris Weidman was declared the No. 2 middleweight prospect on the planet, according to a scouting report from BloodyElbow.com. Fast forward two years and you’ll find that the Serra/Longo prodigy proudly sits with a 5-0 record inside the Octagon. It greatly compliments his 9-0 overall record as a professional and illustrates his status as a top contender in the UFC middleweight division.
When Weidman was forced from a scheduled bout against Tim Boetsch at UFC 155, it was due to a shoulder injury that would require surgery and keep him out of action for approximately six months.
The 28-year-old expects to return in late May or early June, and with a major middleweight battle taking place next weekend between Michael Bisping and VitorBelfort, it is important to look ahead and see how the division will shake out down the road.
Here is a look at five possible opponents for Chris Weidman upon his return.
MMA pioneer Kazushi Sakuraba has been a professional wrestler since the early ’90s. However, his shoot-fighting instincts must have kicked in this weekend during a New Japan Pro Wrestling bout against champion Shinsuke Nakamura.Minutes into the contest…
MMA pioneer Kazushi Sakuraba has been a professional wrestler since the early ’90s. However, his shoot-fighting instincts must have kicked in this weekend during a New Japan Pro Wrestling bout against champion Shinsuke Nakamura.
Minutes into the contest, Nakamura shot in for a takedown and without thinking, Sakuraba threw an interceptor knee that knocked his opponent completely unconscious. Immediately after impact, you can see “The Gracie Hunter” kicking himself for the mistake.
In the world of MMA, this would have been considered an incredible highlight. However, in the fictional competition that is professional wrestling, if a guy is supposed to pin you later in the contest, it is generally frowned upon for you to put him in a temporary coma.
What makes things worse is that Nakamura currently holds the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the title was on the line in this contest, which Shinsuke was scheduled to win.
Sakuraba is a well-season veteran of professional wrestling, so after the referee checked on Nakamura and recognized that he had regained some of his wits, the Japanese legend climbed into mount and began throwing kayfabe punches until Shinsuke was able to continue again.
Ironically, Nakamura is a former MMA fighter in his own right. Competing from the 2003 New Year’s Eve card until mid-2004, Nakamura put together a 3-1 (1) record and has not competed in nearly nine years.
The full match is available to watch at DailyMotion.com with the knockout occurring shortly after the 17 minute mark.
If you think that Jamie Varner is content simply sitting back and waiting to see Joe Silva’s name pop up on Caller ID, you would be wrong. Less than two weeks out from his UFC 155 victory over Melvin Guillard, the former WEC champion has volunteered hi…
If you think that Jamie Varner is content simply sitting back and waiting to see Joe Silva’s name pop up on Caller ID, you would be wrong. Less than two weeks out from his UFC 155 victory over Melvin Guillard, the former WEC champion has volunteered himself for bouts with several members of the UFC lightweight division.
The name sitting atop his list is none other than fellow UFC 155 fighter Joe Lauzon.
Lauzon and Varner had a tremendous scrap at UFC on Fox 4 in a match considered to be a leading candidate for 2012’s Fight of the Year until Lauzon outdid himself against Jim Miller later in the year.
“I want to start my retribution tour,” Varner told the Sherdog’s “Cheap Seats”. “I want to start fighting the guys that I’ve lost to. First would definitely be Joe Lauzon. I’d really like to fight Joe again.”
Varner made it clear that he wasn’t looking to take anything away from Lauzon, but still feels that he can avenge the only blemish on his 2012 record.
Joe’s awesome and he had an amazing game plan for me. The fact that he broke me down so technically, to the littlest move, like my head position on my double leg, and was able to capitalize on it, that’s incredible. It speaks volumes about him as a fighter and as a technician. I definitely feel that if we were to fight again and I had a full training camp, I would win that fight. I think it would be different.
If successful, Varner would then like a rubber match with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. While fighting in the WEC, the two met twice with each man having his arm raised once. On both occasions, the duo took home Fight of the Night honors, so we should expect nothing but fireworks in a trilogy bout.
Other than those fights, there aren’t many losses that Varner can avenge. UFC champion Benson Henderson is his current training partner while Shane Roller retired in 2012 after losing four of his final five fights.
Unless he plans on making a pit stop in the Oregon correctional system, Varner will be unable to take on current inmate Hermes Franca. The longtime UFC veteran defeated Varner in his promotional debut, but is serving a 42-month sentence related to a sexual relationship with an underage jiu-jitsu student.
The final two losses on Varner‘s record came at the hands of regional fighters Dakota Cochrane and Jesse Moreng.
This so-called “Retribution Tour” must have been a recent revelation for Varner, who went to JunkieRadio late last week with four completely different opponents in mind. That short-list included Rafael dos Anjos, TJ Grant, Matt Wiman and Ultimate Fighter winner Ross Pearson.
“I think Dos Anjos is on a streak, so he may be on my radar more so than anyone else, but Grant, I’ve been hearing his name pop up a lot, as well.”
In any situation, Varner‘s 2012 comeback was the feel-good story of the year for MMA fans. When he returns this spring, expect to see another exciting clash, regardless of who stands across from him inside the Octagon.
