Tag: Eddie Alvarez

Eddie Alvarez: ‘I Want to Make Myself Indispensable’

Filed under: UFCAt this point of his career, Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez says he’s more concerned with building his name than competing for the UFC.

Already well-paid with Bellator and the company’s main attraction, he could easily be…

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At this point of his career, Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez says he’s more concerned with building his name than competing for the UFC.

Already well-paid with Bellator and the company’s main attraction, he could easily become another face in the crowd If he were to join the UFC. That’s why he’s out to turn himself into a valuable commodity in case it ever comes to that.

“I want to be someone so I have some sort of leverage,” Alvarez said Monday on The MMA Hour. “I don’t want to be the next disposable 155-pounder who can be thrown out the window if he has a loss or two. I want to make myself indispensable and make a name for myself before I ever negotiate with a company like [the UFC].”

The MMA Hour With Bisping, Hamill, Alvarez, Comedians Norton & Kelly

Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator, VideosThe MMA Hour returns on Monday with another two-hour live show. Here’s who will be stopping by:

* Renowned comedians Jim Norton and Robert Kelly from The Opie & Anthony Show will be in studio t…

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The MMA Hour returns on Monday with another two-hour live show. Here’s who will be stopping by:

* Renowned comedians Jim Norton and Robert Kelly from The Opie & Anthony Show will be in studio to talk about their love for all things MMA.

* Michael Bisping, who will discuss the fallout from UFC 127 and what’s next for him.

* Matt Hamill, who will discuss his upcoming fight against Rampage Jackson and the feature film, Hamill, based on his inspirational life story.

* Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, who will talk about his April 2 title defense against Pat Curran.

And of course, we’ll be taking your calls while looking back at UFN 24. Give us a shout at: 212-254-0193 or 212-254-0237.

Watch the show live below beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. Download previous episodes of The MMA Hour on iTunes: audio feed here; video feed here.

Bellator Champ Zack Makovsky Looks to Join World Bantamweight Elite

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, BellatorZack Makovsky captured his first championship belt in 2010 after winning Bellator’s inaugural bantamweight tournament. Makovsky’s rise to glory came quietly, which is not surprising given his soft-spoken nature….

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Zack Makovsky captured his first championship belt in 2010 after winning Bellator’s inaugural bantamweight tournament. Makovsky’s rise to glory came quietly, which is not surprising given his soft-spoken nature. Still, it was an accomplishment worthy of some bragging rights, particularly given his grinding schedule; Makovsky fought six times in eight months in 2010, winning all his fights.

With the championship, Makovsky put himself on the international MMA radar, though he hasn’t been a surprise to those in the know. Among those was his Philadelphia Fight Factory teammate and fellow Bellator champ Eddie Alvarez, who told MMA Fighting that he forecasted Makovsky’s success from the beginning.

“For people who don’t know about Zack, you’re going to find out,” Alvarez said. “You don’t need my words to tell you, you’re going to find out very soon. The first time I met him, before I ever won a title, I said to him, ‘You’re going to be a world champion.’ That was maybe 5-6 years ago. He just had certain qualities where you knew that he was not going to have it any other way. Some guys just have what it takes. It’s not the talent, speed, strength or whatever, it’s the attitude. And he had that attitude to be a world champion.”

Eddie Alvarez: ‘Any Night, I Have the Ability to Beat Anyone in the World’

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, BellatorNo matter which publication you favor, you don’t have to look too far down the lightweight rankings before you find the name of Eddie Alvarez. With a record of 21-2, and wins in 11 of his last 12 fights, he is b…

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No matter which publication you favor, you don’t have to look too far down the lightweight rankings before you find the name of Eddie Alvarez. With a record of 21-2, and wins in 11 of his last 12 fights, he is by far the most highly ranked fighter in any division on the Bellator roster.

The across-the-board respect for his impressive resume is a long overdue development for the 27-year-old Philadelphian, whose quest for widespread acclaim — done completely outside the UFC machine — has been a slow burn.

Alvarez has done it with an in-cage work ethic worthy of his city’s blue-collar roots. Philly has always been a notorious fight town, home to boxing greats like Joe Frazier, Sonny Liston and Bernard Hopkins, but with no new pugilists coming to the forefront, Alvarez has essentially filled the void, watching his popularity grow over the last few years. Now, with the promotion’s arrival on MTV2, Alvarez may see his profile and reputation expand even further.

Added Focus, Increased Expectations for Bellator’s MTV2 Debut

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator, NewsJust two years into the company’s existence, Bellator continues its forward momentum by premiering on MTV2 on Saturday night. Once seemingly another in a long line of flash-in-the-pan promotions, the organ…

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Just two years into the company’s existence, Bellator continues its forward momentum by premiering on MTV2 on Saturday night. Once seemingly another in a long line of flash-in-the-pan promotions, the organization has become a player in the MMA world with a mix of exciting prospects (Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Rick Hawn) rising stars (Ben Askren, Zach Makovsky), and established champions (Hector Lombard, Eddie Alvarez).

During its recent offseason, Bellator even showed a willingness to dip into the major free agent pool, inking highly regarded featherweight Marlon Sandro.

But with more exposure comes added expectation, and thus comes the challenge for Bellator to produce a product that matches the entertainment value of major US promotions Strikeforce and the UFC.

It’s a challenge that company CEO Bjorn Rebney embraces.

Eddie Alvarez vs. Pat Curran Booked for April 2

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, Bellator, NewsPat Curran will finally get his shot at Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 39 on April 2, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney confirmed with MMA Fighting on Wednesday. Rebney said that no venue …

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Pat Curran will finally get his shot at Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 39 on April 2, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney confirmed with MMA Fighting on Wednesday. Rebney said that no venue has been finalized for the 155-pound fight, which will air live on MTV2.

Curran was supposed to fight Alvarez in October, but a shoulder injury suffered in training forced the 23-year-old to pull out of the fight. Instead, Alvarez fought Roger Huerta in a non-title fight and defeated him via second round TKO (doctor stoppage).