Tag: Eddie Alvarez

Bellator Looking to Hold onto UFC-Bound Eddie Alvarez

Hold on, Dana White. Eddie Alvarez isn’t going to the UFC that easily.Despite the assumption that the UFC will make an unbeatable offer for “The Silent Assassin” to join their ranks, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney aims to keep Alvarez in his roster.As Bella…

Hold on, Dana White. Eddie Alvarez isn’t going to the UFC that easily.

Despite the assumption that the UFC will make an unbeatable offer for “The Silent Assassin” to join their ranks, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney aims to keep Alvarez in his roster.

As Bellator’s first lightweight champion, Alvarez is a hot commodity well known for exciting title defenses and an inspired 2011 “Fight of the Year” performance against current champion Michael Chandler. He’s also one of the few men in MMA to have defeated Japanese legend Shinya Aoki.  

MMA Weekly spoke with Alvarez’s manager, Glenn Robinson of Authentic Sports Management, about the incoming 90-day negotiating period with Bellator. According to him, Bellator isn’t throwing in the towel on their former champion just yet:

Bjorn and Eddie had a great conversation and had some great talks. Bjorn has expressed interest in keeping Eddie, and talks have gone really well, and that’s all I can really say at this point.

Talks have gone really well with Bellator and Eddie just wants to fight the best fighters he can, and get a contract he feels is fair, but I can tell you Bjorn has gone out of his way to make Eddie feel welcome and talks have gone well so far, so we’ll see what the future brings.

If Bellator Fighting Championships is able to hold onto Alvarez and sign him to another contract, it’ll provide them with some critical drawing power for next year, when the promotion makes its transition from MTV2 to SPIKE.

Alvarez has been a “top-10” standout in the lightweight division for over four years, currently standing at a solid 24-3 record over roughly nine years.

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Eddie Alvarez Not Leaving Bellator for the UFC, at Least Not Yet

Bellator lightweight Eddie Alvarez isn’t going anywhere just yet. Discussing his future Wednesday on The MMA Hour broadcast with alpha journalist Ariel Helwani, the former champion indicated that it would be at least three months before he can eve…

Bellator lightweight Eddie Alvarez isn’t going anywhere just yet. 

Discussing his future Wednesday on The MMA Hour broadcast with alpha journalist Ariel Helwani, the former champion indicated that it would be at least three months before he can even listen to offers from the UFC or other promotions. Alvarez hinted that Bellator’s impending move to Spike TV may have sweetened the promotion’s appeal.

“I want to sit down with the people at Viacom,” Alvarez said. “I’m very interested in what’s going on with this fight deal next year. Bellator has a lot of huge things going on. From there, I guess we field offers from everyone else. The UFC and everyone else.”

Alvarez (24-3), who won the last fight on his existing Bellator contract with a head-kick knockout of Patricky Freire on October 12, said he and his management team were in the midst of a three-month exclusive negotiation period with Bellator. After that period, Alvarez said he could accept other overtures.

“I’m not impatient. I’m taking my time with this,” Alvarez said. “I’m really going to let my management team and [Bellator Chairman/CEO] Bjorn [Rebney] and Bellator handle this. It’s really in their hands.”

If Alvarez was simply engaging in negotiation gamesmanship, he wasn’t tipping his hand. He added that Bellator will have a chance to match any contract offers.

“I could say I want to go here or go there, but if it’s matched [by Bellator] then I stay,” Alvarez said.

UFC President Dana White said after UFC 153 that he is “definitely interested” in bringing Alvarez into the Octagon. Meanwhile, Rebney has of late seemed resigned to losing Alvarez.

Alvarez said he was enjoying life as a free agent.

“I get to sit down with Viacom and Bjorn and the people there. I get to sit down and hear what they have to say. It’s a good time for me and a good time for Bellator.”

 

Follow Scott Harris on Twitter.

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Eddie Alvarez: Why He Should Sign with the UFC Immediately

Eddie Alvarez is the former Bellator Lightweight Champion and is considered by some people to be a top-ten lightweight in the world.In addition to that, he is currently a free agent.Alvarez lost his Bellator title three fights ago against Michael Chand…

Eddie Alvarez is the former Bellator Lightweight Champion and is considered by some people to be a top-ten lightweight in the world.

In addition to that, he is currently a free agent.

Alvarez lost his Bellator title three fights ago against Michael Chandler in a spectacular fight, which saw both fighters in trouble at certain points.

Alvarez wanted an immediate rematch, but due to Bellator‘s tournament structure, he was not granted it, and instead faced Shinya Aoki and then Patricky Freire in non-tournament lightweight matchups.

Alvarez won but now is left at a crossroads.

He could resign with Bellator, attempt to fight his way back to Chandler and get his rematch, but there’s a lot that could go wrong on the way there.

His other option is much more appealing to us as UFC fans, and that other option would be for him to sign with the UFC. The lightweight division is one of the most stacked in the UFC, and the addition of Alvarez would only make it better.

He is an exciting lightweight with good boxing and ground skills and would be a solid test for anybody at 155. Not only that, but he would get a chance to prove where he truly sits in the 155 pound division.

There are people out there—such as myself—who think Alvarez is a great talent but does not deserve a top-ten ranking for beating non top-ten fighters. A move to the UFC would give him a chance to prove himself to all his critics.

In addition, the lightweight division is stacked, but many of the top contenders have faltered when given shots at the title, or faltered against each other.

If Alvarez comes in, gets an impressive win over a top-five or top-10 opponent, he could be easily sold for a shot at the title.

One win and then a title shot also seems to be how the UFC does it when they bring in champions from other organizations.

It would be no different for Alvarez.

It’s time the UFC pick up another fighter that the fans have wanted for a long time; it’s time to sign Eddie Alvarez.

 

Tim McTiernan is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. For the latest news on everything MMA, follow him on Twitter @TimMcTiernan.

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Eddie Alvarez KOs Patricky “Pitbull”, Dana White Approves

Last night Eddie Alvarez scored a dramatic first round KO win (video above) over Patricky “Pitbull” Freire at Bellator 76 and potentially earned a UFC contract. The fight was the last on Alvarez’ contract with Bellator.

After Alvarez won, UFC President Dana White reportedly tweeted him saying, “congrats Bro!!! Let’s talk :)”

Alvarez isn’t the top lightweight in Bellator after losing to Michael Chandler, but he has rebounded nicely from that loss with the win over Patricky and Shinya Aoki. Alvarez has long been regarded as one of the best fighters in the world not signed to the UFC.

We’ll keep you posted on developments with this story as they emerge. For now, enjoy Alvarez’ nasty KO.

– Elias Cepeda

Last night Eddie Alvarez scored a dramatic first round KO win (video above) over Patricky “Pitbull” Freire at Bellator 76 and potentially earned a UFC contract. The fight was the last on Alvarez’ contract with Bellator.

After Alvarez won, UFC President Dana White reportedly tweeted him saying, “congrats Bro!!! Let’s talk :) ”

Alvarez isn’t the top lightweight in Bellator after losing to Michael Chandler, but he has rebounded nicely from that loss with the win over Patricky and Shinya Aoki. Alvarez has long been regarded as one of the best fighters in the world not signed to the UFC.

We’ll keep you posted on developments with this story as they emerge. For now, enjoy Alvarez’ nasty KO.

– Elias Cepeda

Barnburner Alert: Eddie Alvarez to Face Patricky “Pitbull” Freire in Final Bellator Appearance

Eddie Alvarez Bellator tk
(Suck it, Javier Sotomayor.) 

In what will either make for a triumphant or disastrous turning point in Eddie Alvarez’s career (specifically, his marketability), the former Bellator lightweight champion has been booked to take on Brazilian knockout artist Patricky “Pitbull” Freire at Bellator 75, which goes down on October 12th at Caesar’s Windsor in Canada.

After collecting seven straight wins under the Bellator banner (6 by way of stoppage), Alvarez lost his lightweight strap in dramatic fashion, falling prey to a fourth round submission in a battle for the ages at Bellator 58 to Michael Chandler. Most recently, Alvarez earned some much sought after revenge when he battered and dispatched Shinya Aoki in the first round of their Bellator 66 throwdown, and immediately began  making his case for a potential spot amongst the UFC’s ever growing lightweight roster thereafter. It just goes to show what beating up a man in multi-colored pastel tights can do for one’s confidence.

Eddie Alvarez Bellator tk
(Suck it, Javier Sotomayor.) 

In what will either make for a triumphant or disastrous turning point in Eddie Alvarez’s career (specifically, his marketability), the former Bellator lightweight champion has been booked to take on Brazilian knockout artist Patricky “Pitbull” Freire at Bellator 75, which goes down on October 12th at Caesar’s Windsor in Canada.

After collecting seven straight wins under the Bellator banner (6 by way of stoppage), Alvarez lost his lightweight strap in dramatic fashion, falling prey to a fourth round submission in a battle for the ages at Bellator 58 to Michael Chandler. Most recently, Alvarez earned some much sought after revenge when he battered and dispatched Shinya Aoki in the first round of their Bellator 66 throwdown, and immediately began  making his case for a potential spot amongst the UFC’s ever growing lightweight roster thereafter. It just goes to show what beating up a man in multi-colored pastel tights can do for one’s confidence.

Patricky, on the other hand, will be looking to rebound from a huge upset he suffered in the quarterfinals of Bellator’s Season 6 lightweight tournament, where he was submitted in Frank Mir-esque fashion by Lloyd Woodward in the second round. Considering that Pitbull made it all the way to the finals of the previous season’s tournament, where he would be upended by, you guessed it, Michael Chandler, the defeat all but completely derailed his momentum train.

A win over Alvarez, however, would launch him right back into to the short list of contenders in Bellator’s moderately stacked (I’m feeling generous today) lightweight division. And given Alvarez’s tendency to get rocked at least once in most of his fights, Freire stands as good a chance as any of upsetting the 23-3 former champ. As we all know, Alvarez and the UFC have expressed a shared interest in one another in the near future, so a win over Pitbull would surely validate a possible signing. A loss, however, could cost him a chance to compete in the sport’s highest promotion altogether.

But hey, we’ve heard that the UFC is more than willing to sign a former Bellator champ with a considerable amount of hype behind him before, so as long as Alvarez doesn’t spend fifteen minutes imitating the striking attack of Marcus “Big Baby” Jones, he will more than likely be UFC bound. In either case, this match should make for one hell of a barnburner.

That being said, who do you like for this one?

–J. Jones

Bellator Considering All Options for Former Champion Eddie Alvarez

Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez still has five months left on his current contract and it’s possible he plans to wait it out. Alvarez served as a dominant champion in the Bellator promotion, but was unseated by new champion Mic…

Former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez still has five months left on his current contract and it’s possible he plans to wait it out.

Alvarez served as a dominant champion in the Bellator promotion, but was unseated by new champion Michael Chandler. Since then, Alvarez sought revenge against Japanese MMA superstar Shinya Aoki, smashing him in Round 1.

Alvarez still has a solid 23-3 pro MMA record with an impressive 20 fight finishes on his resume.

Here is what Bellator CEO Bjon Rebney previously said regarding Alvarez’s status (via Full Contact Fighter): 

Ed is with the organization (Bellator)… he has about five months left on a deal, and one fight left.  He’s been a star and awesome member of the Bellator family.  We’ll do one more fight with him, and we may be able to negotiate a long-term deal before his last remaining fight.  It just depends because there are so many paths; we’ll see what happens.  I have nothing but respect for him.

It’s interesting to hear Alvarez also has one fight left on his current contract because it’s possible he may take one last fight in the Bellator cage. A lone fight would give him the chance to honor his contract, collect a paycheck and sponsor money and avoid an extended layoff if he wants to jump to another promotion.

There is a high demand for Alvarez. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker and UFC President Dana White are interested in signing him. 

In Strikeforce, a potential super fight with champion Gilbert Melendez is possible, though the majority of top-level fights would be in the UFC.

The UFC would be able to give Alvarez a pay-per-view cut for his fights, along with a potential fight purse and sponsor money increase.

Alvarez was one of the top-ranked lightweights prior to his loss to Chandler, but if he’s not currently in the top 10, he’s really close. A jump to the UFC will give him the chance to compete with the best lightweights in the world and claw his way to a potential title shot.

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