The first time I saw Eddie Alvarez fighting, he was 8-0 and fighting on Bodog Fight's Costa Rica Combat. Totally bizarre set-up but I also managed to catch Roy Nelson, Rosi Sexton, Jake Ellenberger, Chael Sonnen, Jake Shields and Brad Pickett on Bodog Fights so totally worth it and if you can catch any of these events online I wholly endorse blowing off work today to watch them. This was the first time I has seen any of these fighters but it was Eddie Alvarez who blew me away and I immediately loved the guy. I started watching Bellator because he was fighting, same with DREAM. I'm not going to pretend I've been following MMA since the NHB days like a lot of guys do. I started following MMA because of Eddie Alvarez.

You can only imagine how I felt when Shinya Aoki heel hooked his way to victory over my boy Eddie on that fateful New Years Eve. 92 seconds of intense emotions kicked my ass that night. I can now relate directly to how Gary LaPlante felt when Shogun lost to Jon Jones. Eddie has since avenged that loss but if things go well, he could be fighting in the UFC by the end of the year. He appeared on The MMA Hour to talk with Ariel Helwani about a number of things but most prominently about his contractual obligation with Bellator and how he feels about interest from the UFC. After informing us that his Bellator contract has either one fight or four months left, he had this to say on the interest from UFC.

“Yeah man, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in fighting for the UFC. You have to be crazy, that's every fighters, that is the Mecca of all fighting and we all sort of strive for, to get in there and get that belt. I'm still obligated to a contract and I'm going to fulfill my obligations for the contract. I don't even know what I can say or anything. I'm going to fulfill my obligations, and then we will figure out and maybe take bids from other companies. I made an agreement with Bjorn four years ago and I want to fulfill that agreement. I'm not trying to be a bad guy or anything, but like any employer, if you are with a company for four years, I think everybody that has been with Bellator so far, who have been there for four years have got a raise, you know? They have got their contracts renegotiated and got raises. I'm an employee of Bellator and I feel I have that right, after these four years they can assess my performance and what I have helped the company with and they can say if I deserve a raise or if I don't, and at that point, maybe another company can step in and say what they are offering.”

I can’t say Eddie’s habit of getting rocked early and coming back to win would work out in the UFC, all I know is that I’ll most certainly be watching if it happens. [source]

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-8 # Sambro 2012-04-24 05:30

You don't get raises for losing the belt, douchescat!

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+1 # Guest 2012-04-24 05:34

Maybe it is just me but Alvarez is damn annoying, he thinks he is worth so much more than he is. At least Melendez stays humble.

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0 # Guest 2012-04-24 06:10

I wonder if that check fit in the ATM he deposit it in?

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-2 # Guest 2012-04-24 11:18

I don't see Alvarez having much success in the UFC. He is a small guy for 55. His boxing is supposedly his best asset yet he gets dropped in every fight. Also starting to wonder about the guy's chin. And his submission skills and wrestling are mediocre. As a fan of his I'd have to say: stick to bellator. Even though I don't see him beating Chandler.

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+1 # chiggs 2012-04-24 12:22

Without a doubt, him, Curran Askren et al, all deserve to be in the UFC, and they(ufc) can/could use them, but I'd rather not see BFC get bled dry and endup with NO Name talent at all an become stagnant that much faster, thus giving the UFC a FULL Monopoly, as their almost at that point now. But we, as MMA fans, as much as the fighters NEEED a LEGIT #2 an even a #3 Org for soooo many reasons, you cant state them all imo.
Unfort. unless the fighters can get an actual Union going or WAMMA or the new League takes off and gives MMA a more 'Standardized' structure, things are going to grow all that much aside from Dana an the Fertita's pocket books

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0 # noreaga 2012-04-24 16:12

i actually agree with this and really hope that one fc becomes the #2. that org is badass.

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+1 # Guest 2012-04-24 16:12

he already makes more than he should, and I bet he re-signs with bellator.

Dont be scared homie, go to the UFC

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+1 # Guest 2012-04-25 02:13

This glasschin doesn't deserve to get a raise.

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0 # bloodandmetal 2012-04-25 05:06

alvarez always comes to fight always so him asking to get paid for putting his life on the line to fight and entertain real fight fans is fine by me..if your not a fan of eddie,s fights your not a fan of mma..

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