I know I am constantly harping about Bellator, but this time I mean it. Really. Eddie Alvarez-Patricky "Pitbull" Freire is a can't-miss fight in the main event. If not for Pitbull's inexplicable kimura loss to Lloyd "Cupcake" Woodard in last season's Lightweight tourney, this fight would be a pretty big deal. As is stands, it still pits one of the best talents outside the UFC in Alvarez against a guy that has all the skill to be a legitimate star in Freire. The problem is Freire's inconsistency. He's not always sharp. He's not always aggressive. And he is not always in good shape. Something tells me a fight with Alvarez will force the best Pitbull to show up and we should get a great fight. [TABLE="width: 582"] <COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 98pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 4754" width=130><COL style="WIDTH: 74pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 3620" width=99><COL style="WIDTH: 138pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 6729" width=184><COL style="WIDTH: 48pt" width=64><COL style="WIDTH: 113pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 5522" width=151><COL style="WIDTH: 111pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 5412" width=148><TBODY>[TR] [TD="class: xl67, width: 130, bgcolor: #bfbfbf"]Card [/TD] [TD="class: xl67, width: 99, bgcolor: #bfbfbf"]Weight Class[/TD] [TD="class: xl67, width: 184, bgcolor: #bfbfbf"] [/TD] [TD="class: xl67, width: 64, bgcolor: #bfbfbf"] [/TD] [TD="class: xl67, width: 151, bgcolor: #bfbfbf"] [/TD] [TD="class: xl68, width: 148, bgcolor: #bfbfbf"] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl66, width: 130, bgcolor: transparent"]Main[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 99, bgcolor: transparent"]Lightweight[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 184, bgcolor: transparent"]Eddie Alvarez[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]vs[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]Patricky Freire[/TD] [TD="class: xl65, bgcolor: transparent"] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl66, width: 130, bgcolor: transparent"]Main[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 99, bgcolor: transparent"]Featherweight[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 184, bgcolor: transparent"]Rad Martinez[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]vs[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]Nazareno Malegarie[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 148, bgcolor: transparent"]FW Tourn[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl66, width: 130, bgcolor: transparent"]Main[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 99, bgcolor: transparent"]Featherweight[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 184, bgcolor: transparent"]Akop Stepanyan[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]vs[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]Wagnney Fabiano[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 148, bgcolor: transparent"]FW Tourn[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl66, width: 130, bgcolor: transparent"]Main[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 99, bgcolor: transparent"]Featherweight[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 184, bgcolor: transparent"]Mike Richman[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]vs[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]Jeremy Spoon[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 148, bgcolor: transparent"]FW Tourn[/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD="class: xl66, width: 130, bgcolor: transparent"]Main[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 99, bgcolor: transparent"]Featherweight[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 184, bgcolor: transparent"]Shahbulat Shamhalaev[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"]vs[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 151, bgcolor: transparent"]Cody Bollinger[/TD] [TD="class: xl66, width: 148, bgcolor: transparent"]FW Tourn[/TD] [/TR] </TBODY>[/TABLE]
Now that was a fun fight and a pretty solid card. Alvarez definitely notched up his value even further as he becomes a free agent. If he heads to the UFC , he goes with a ton of momentum.
Another beautiful win by Alvarez. And with a head kick! From what I understand, even though this was Alvarez's final fight on his contract, Bellator has the right to match any contract he gets for 3 months. Hopefully he ends up in the UFC where he'll become champ at 155 sooner rather than later. Dana White already tweeted him... TFK
The one thing that no one can argue is the fact that Eddie Alvarez is the most exciting lightweight in the sport. Put him with anyone and it's going to be fun.
Watch his fights with Kawajiri, Hellboy, Chandler and now Pitbull. Hard to think of too many fighters who are constantly in so many great fights. TFK
The thing is, Bellator can't match a UFC contract so even if they have the option, they won't spend that much money to do it when their pockets aren't big enough for one fighter. In the end this is a win-win situation for Eddie. That being said, Eddie is too chinny to make it in the UFC 155 division. He's great in Bellator, but I'd place him somewhere in the 7-10 spot in the UFC top 10 at 155.
Yep. I've seen them all and there isn't any other fighter in MMA that you can count on for entertainment. The thing that sets him apart is that he isn't afraid to engage despite his questionable chin. I think he probably banks on the fact that he recovers quickly.
Isn't Bellator owned by Viacom? But besides money, the Bellator setup doesn't work for Alvarez. The dude is a legitimate top 5-10 lightweight and he'd be forced to win a Bellator tournament in order to get a rematch with Chandler for the belt. Even if they can and/or are willing to go penny for penny with the UFC, I can see Alvarez trying his best to get out of Bellator. He isn't getting any younger and he likely only has one run at the UFC belt. Another 2-3 years in Bellator ruins he's chances of ever proving himself against the best in the world. Alvarez doesn't need to spend the next 3 years fighting the likes of Lloyd Woodard, Brent Weedman or Rick Hawn when he has the talent to compete with the top guys in the UFC. Personally I think Alvarez is an absolute handful for anyone at 155.
Eddie's a handful if he doesn't get caught with a punch, which he seems to do all too frequently. He won't make it against any top 5 UFC 155lb fighter and I'm certain of it.
Everyone says Alvarez is 'chinny', and he does get rocked, but he's only been stopped by punches once in his career, and that's was in a fight against Thompson who outweighed Alvarez by 30+ pounds when the fight happened. He may get tagged a bit, but he recovers very quickly both mentally and physically. I don't see any fighter in the UFC, other than possibly Edgar, who can beat Alvarez is he's on his game and I'm certain of it. TFK
Let's not get too carried away. Alvarez is a fun fighter to watch and he's got the skill set to compete at the highest level. That being said, if Nick Thompson, Aoki and Chandler can beat him, guys like Diaz, Maynard, Pettis, Henderson, Melendez, etc certainly can. I probably think more highly of Chandler and Pitbull than most, but those wins are probably on the same level as beating Cerrone, Wiman or Dunham in the UFC. Alvarez still has much to prove at the highest level. I'm ready to see it.
