Eddie Alvarez has called for his ONE on TNT 1 loss to Iuri Lapicus to be overturned.
‘The Underground King’ was left fuming after he was adjudged to have landed several illegal strikes on his opponent last night. He was promptly shown a red card and was disqualified from the fight.
Alvarez called for the loss to be overturned after watching back the fight ending sequence.
“I went back to my room and I was able to watch the clip of the fight and see everything and it was a bad call on the referee’s side,” Alvarez said at the post-fight press conference. “The American media is in uproar right now and so are the American fans. I’m going to respectfully ask them to look back at the video and reverse that call.
“All that matters is Iuri’s safety. That’s it right now. That he’s going to be OK. When I go back, I’m in the cage, so emotions run high. The referee, people make bad decisions when emotions run high. I think it was a bad call. I’m mixed emotions right now.”
Alvarez believes he did nothing wrong and should be awarded the win as his opponent was unable to continue.
“I just want to make sure that they correct this. It’s not right. What happened, it’s not right,” Alvarez said. “After looking at the tape and after seeing the outpouring of the media that’s basically saying something went wrong in there today on the judging side, I’ve just got mixed emotions about everything.
“I don’t see how it’s not overturned. I don’t discredit anyone based on what happens inside that cage. Referee, judging, all that. It’s high emotions and you have to make decisions based on a split second and I think the replay and after everybody goes back and looks will see everything was done righteously. I won fair and square. I’m not trying to anger anyone or climb up any trees. I won tonight. I won. I just hope that they go back and look at it and reverse the decision. I’ve made decisions in my past and I’ll be a man and step up and say that it was wrong. But tonight, I won. I think the American media and a lot of media know that I did and are pissed off about it.”
The former UFC and Bellator champion is now hoping to face the winner of Christian Lee and Timofey Nastyukhin who clash for the ONE Championship lightweight title on April 17.
“That’s what I’m here for. I’m here to make history,” Alvarez said. “I said it in the beginning when I came to ONE Championship. I’m here to make history. That’s what I’m here for. Let me make my history.
“These opponents are getting larger. Every time I come back, they’re getting larger and larger. They’re getting bigger and bigger. I don’t even belong in this weight class. I’m fighting guys double my size. Give me the champion.” (Transcribed by MMA Fighting)
Do you think Eddie Alvarez was wrongly disqualified at ONE on TNT 1?