Eddie Alvarez has one fight left with Bellator, wants Chandler re-match but Rebney says no

Written by Jason Gittens Friday, 04 May 2012 11:09

Eddie Alvarez has one fight left on his Bellator contract, and he’s made it quite clear to the Bellator President Bjorn Rebney that he wants to re-match Michael Chandler for the title. Alvarez says it’s the only fight that makes sense. Sadly for Alvarez, Rebney doesn’t share that perspective, and his request was flatly denied.

Rebney has told Alvarez that the only way to fight Chandler again for the title is to enter and win the tournament again. period.. Rebney has no interest in handing that fight to Alvarez. He’s is firm about his tournament format and isn’t willing to budge, not even for Bellator’s most popular and best fighter now that Hector Lombard has gone to the UFC.

Alvarez is at a crossroads in his career with Bellator, he has one fight left under this contract and is fully aware there is zero competition for him in Bellator’s lightweight division except for Chandler. And that’s a fight he wants badly. But if he can’t get that fight, it doesn’t look like he’ll be sticking around, and really even if he does get it, it’s unlikely he’ll stay, he hasn’t said that explicitly, but the writing is on the wall. In an interview with sherdog.com Alvarez spoke about his situation and his frustration with Rebney’s flat out unwillingness to accommodate him.

“I feel like that’s the fight... the only fight... that I would want, I don’t feel like any other fight would make sense.”
“I would like for it to be a title fight, five five-minute rounds, Three five-minutes with me and Mike Chandler is sort of like a Tough-man Contest. I would like it to be five fives to be able to really determine a winner.”
“I’ve told everyone so far my two main goals are to be in an organization where I can keep moving up the ranks, where I can eventually become number one in the world, as well as be compensated for that,” Alvarez said. “I have no loyalties. My loyalties aren’t to the UFC. My loyalties aren’t to Bellator or anyone else. My loyalties are only to my family, my wife and kids. I’m going to make the best decision that’s right for us, and that’s it.”
“A small part of me feels like we sort of grew together, I was with Bellator from the very beginning. The idea was exactly what happened, for us to grow together. I was just becoming recognizable in the sport and Bellator hadn’t made a name for themselves yet. … It’s the first company that I’ve joined with, that I grew with, that actually made it. Bjorn did everything he said he was going to do. He was a no-nonsense type guy, very intelligent, and did everything he absolutely told me he was going to do. I respect him for that and I respect him for what he’s done.”

Bellator and Alvarez don’t appear like they will be working together for much longer, they are both at opposite ends financially, it’s unlikely they will be able to offer him the money he wants, or the competitive and lucrative fights. He appears to have gone as far as he could with Bellator.

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