ONE Championship lightweight contender, Eddie Alvarez has laid claim to gold across the likes of BodogFIGHT, Bellator, and the UFC across his eighteen-year, and has predicted that either previous foe, Dustin Poirier or the surging, Charles Oliveira will be the next lightweight kingpin of his old UFC stomping-ground.
Alvarez, who is currently preparing for a high-stakes, potential title-eliminator against former title challenger, Iuri Lapicus in April at ONE on TNT I — may earn the opportunity to challenge current kingpin Christian Lee for the lightweight championship with a victory.
Set to make his return for the first time in over eighteen-months, Alvarez got off the mark at the second time of trying under his new banner — stopping former two-time gold holder, Eduard Folayang via a first round submission. Debuting under the Chatri Sityodtong led promotion back in March of 2019, Alvarez dropped a devastating knockout to Timofey Nastyukin at ONE Championship: A New Era.
With current undisputed UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov remaining firm on his stance to retire following his October win over Justin Gaethje — Alvarez picked either Poirier or Oliveira to emerge strapped with gold after the reign of Nurmagomdov comes to an end, or at the turn of the new year.
“I think Dustin’s (Poirier) probably gonna end up with the belt,” Alvarez said during a recent interview with LowKick MMA reporter, Jordan Ellis. “I think either Dustin or (Charles) Oliveira — either one of them.“
Earning his lightweight championship shot during his UFC run, Alvarez took decision wins over former Strikeforce 155-pound titleholder, Gilbert Melendez, and former WEC and UFC lightweight best, Anthony Pettis. Battling then-champion, Rafael dos Anjos during International Fight Week back in the summer of 2016, Alvarez entered the fight as a considerable underdog — before clinching the title with a first-round barrage, stopping the Brazilian with strikes at the fence.