Alvey has gone without a win in his last eight fights.
Sam Alvey is going to take some time off after his most recent appearance in the Octagon.
Alvey met a short-notice replacement in Brendan Allen at UFC Vegas 47 this past Saturday. ‘Smile’n’ was knocked down and then submitted via second-round rear-naked choke, which saw his winless streak extend to eight. The only other UFC fighter to hit a skid like this was former two-division champion B.J. Penn, who went 0-7-1 before his release from the promotion over two years ago.
The loss to Allen prompted calls for Alvey to consider retirement from the sport, but that is the furthest thing from his mind. In a pair of videos posted to Instagram on Sunday, the 35-year-old explained that he would step away from active competition for a bit and focus on correcting the mistakes that have seemingly led to this career-worst slump.
“Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way again,” said Alvey. “It’s very disappointing to me. I know I put in the work, and I know he has, too, and everyone does. I know this is a sport of inches and I’ve been inches short. So, I have to figure it out — and I’m going to. I love what I do. I love this sport. I love everything about it and I’m going to take a little bit of time off. Let my brain rest, let my body heal and I’m not going to miss a day of practice. I’m going to get back in the room this Monday. I love you guys. I love the sport and thank you for everything.”
“I’ve lost a step,” said Alvey. “Something needs to change and I’m going to make the correction. I’m not done fighting. God has blessed me. I raise God’s name on high and I would not have the career I have without Him. And I really have had a good career. I’ve had a long career. I’ve had over — shoot, that was my 23rd fight in the UFC. I’ve had a career that people dream of. I’m not doing fighting but I know I need to take a little bit of a hiatus.”
During his hiatus, Alvey said he would build his YouTube channel and coach other fighters. He currently coaches at Team Quest, the gym spearheaded by retired Strikeforce and UFC legend Dan Henderson.
Though not addressed in his videos, it is unclear whether Alvey returns to the UFC. The longtime veteran has previously stated that he was ‘absolutely’ fighting for his job at this point, so another loss could spell the end of his time with the promotion.