Eddie Alvarez’s free agency days are over. The former UFC lightweight champion has found a new home in ONE Championship. Eddie Alvarez announced the signing himself through ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong via Twitter Monday night, putting an end to speculation regarding his future.
Eddie Alvarez has had a storied MMA career, becoming the first-ever two-time Bellator lightweight champion and then going on to also become UFC lightweight champion with a victory over Rafael dos Anjos in July of 2016. Hailed as the “Underground King,” Alvarez will now return to defend his throne in ONE Championship and, in the process, seek to hoist the organization’s name up in contention with his former homes: Bellator MMA and the UFC. This signing marks arguably the biggest boon in the history of ONE FC. When signing his contract, Alvarez appeared eager to begin this new chapter of his career:
Please join me in welcoming Eddie Alvarez to @ONEChampionship! I am super excited for our fans to witness Eddie's high octane, explosive dynamite KO style. Stay tuned for more big news! @Ealvarezfight pic.twitter.com/bM3K0COlie
— Chatri Sityodtong (@YODCHATRI) October 16, 2018
Current featherweight and lightweight champion Martin Nguyen has been with ONE Championship since 2014, and holds significantly less experience than Alvarez with 14 total professional fights and a 11-3 record. Whether or not Eddie Alvarez will make his debut challenging Nguyen remains to be seen, but fans should expect Alvarez to be at the top of the marquee from his debut, regardless of the opponent.
This signing brings Eddie Alvarez’s four-year UFC run to a close, which saw battles against the likes of Dustin Poirier, Anthony Pettis, Rafael dos Anjos, Justin Gaethje, and of course “The Notorious” Conor McGregor, among others.
What do you think of Eddie Alvarez’s decision to sign with ONE Championship?
