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There may be more to Eddie Alvarez's new Bellator contract than meets the eye.
Earlier this week Alvarez noted on The MMA Hour that certain terms within his new deal differed from the eight-fight UFC contract Bellator "matched" in January.
"It's not the same deal. There's some differences," he said. "I can't get into the details or the structure of the deal. It's just not, it's not what I agreed to. But it's fair to say that I'm happy enough to get work in, and more than anything, just fight Mike Chandler again."
Well, according to a report by Wrestling Observer, Alvarez's new contract is actually a two-fight deal with a unique series of free agency clauses. If Alvarez loses to Chandler on Bellator's November 2nd pay-per-view, he reportedly receives his instant release from the promotion. Likewise, Alvarez reportedly hits free agency even if he defeats Chandler, regardless of whether he wins or loses the subsequent rubber match.
This report isn't anything new. Similar rumors have swirled since the deal was first announced, including from MMAFighting.com's own Ariel Helwani.
However it's odd to me that Viacom is willing to take such a big risk. If Alvarez routes Chandler in the series 2-to-0, he'll be scot-free to stroll into Zuffa's awaiting arms, having just crippled Bellator's biggest and brightest star.
If nothing else, if this report holds true, the stakes for November 2nd have been raised tenfold.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Alvarez report. According to a report by Wrestling Observer, Eddie Alvarez's new Bellator contract is actually a two-fight deal, allowing Alvarez immediate free agency if he either: 1.) Loses to Michael Chandler on November 2, 2013, 2.) Defeats Chandler and wins a rubber match, or, 3.) Splits the two contests.
McGregor out for 10 months. Bad news, guys. Conor McGregor's knee injury is much worse than expected. According to Dana White, McGregor's MRI showed an ACL tear, MCL strain and posterior horn meniscal tear. The Irishman is expected to be sidelined for at least 10 months.
White: Silva won't accept Sonnen fight. According to Dana White, Wanderlei Silva refuses to accept a UFC 167 duel with Chael Sonnen unless the UFC renegotiates his contract to include pay-per-view points.
Mazzagatti's lonely life. You think you know Steve Mazzagatti? Son, you have no idea.
Machida didn't want Kennedy. Lyoto Machida said of his upcoming middleweight debut against Tim Kennedy: "Tim Kennedy is a tough guy, but I wanted to fight (Vitor) Belfort or Chael Sonnen next."
MEDIA STEW
I'm now 100-percent convinced that's how Belfort-Henderson II came to be.
Four years after the fact, Carlos Condit still thinks he won this fight on damage. Agree or disagree?
Well, that went pretty much how I expected it to go.
"Maybe, four years more. Five years." -- Lyoto Machida, musing on how much longer he has left in the tank.
Just because it's Friday, we'll end with one more free one. (I love this fight so much.)
THIS GUY, THIS FUGGIN' GUY
Aldo-Safe. Mendes-135er. Lamas-Nobody cares. Cub-OLD. TKZ-Open. Edgar-135er. Siver-OLD. Poirier-PeaHead. Guida-Boring. Lentz-Boring. Koch-?.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 22, 2013
@DiegoSanchezUFC You're the fattest, sloppiest, slowest Martial Artist i've ever laid eyes on. I'd go upto 170 to whoop your fat ass. EASY.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 22, 2013
@TheNotoriousMMA i have bigger fish to fry like #1rankedlightweight oct 19, be ready when I see you at fight summit it's on leprechaun!!!!!
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) August 22, 2013
@AdamB_27 @arielhelwani @TheNotoriousMMA I'm gonna whoop his ass in person if I run into him probably at next fight summit for what he said.
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) August 22, 2013
@TheNotoriousMMA your gonna need @SpiderAnderson bodyguard & @JohnMcCarthyMMA to pull me off you! #forFree #oldfashionfun
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) August 22, 2013
Cant wait to shut up all the people calling me fat boy #ufc166 #bestshapeofmylife #imhealthyhealedandfocused
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) August 22, 2013
All this socialmedia shit just motivated me that much more.
— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) August 22, 2013
MORE HOPEFUL TIMES
M.R.I scan tomorrow to see about my knee. Hoping 3/4 weeks max. If so I can do Manchester card, aswell as Vegas. Forget that waiting shit.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 22, 2013
LESS HOPEFUL TIMES
Crazy that I found out that @TheNotoriousMMA blew his knew out then find out he and @bisping are 2 blocks away pic.twitter.com/CHDGr2IN7b
— Dana White (@danawhite) August 23, 2013
A COUPLE RESPONSES
Who?? RT @Solidmemory: @chadmendes Conor McGregor thinks you should be a bantamweight. What u think bout that? http://t.co/cE8UlSiH3y
— chad mendes (@chadmendes) August 23, 2013
When you want to overthrow a king you don't worry about the jester, you go after the person sitting on the thrown.
— Ricardo Lamas (@RicardoLamasMMA) August 22, 2013
ONE MORE INJURY
I'm very sorry to report that I have sustained an injury during training and I will not be able to fight at #UFC165.I will be back stronger!
— Mark Bocek (@MarkBocek) August 22, 2013
ONE MORE CALLOUT
I want the fight with @NateDiaz209 now that he is off suspension. Don't Be Scared! Let's make it happen @danawhite
— Evan Dunham (@evandunham155) August 22, 2013
IT BEGINS
I'm off to Bulgaria - time to attempt the boldest feat of multitasking in my career :D! #expendables3 #ufc162
— Ronda Rousey (@RondaRousey) August 22, 2013
REAL CLASSY, JOSH
@MieshaTate @Venumfight @098Strong All I see are butt cheeks.
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) August 22, 2013
DAMN INDEED
Damn. "@SciencePorn: pic.twitter.com/DqVagchZdC"
— Marcelino Evil (@KCBanditMMA) August 22, 2013
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Thursday, August 22, 2013):
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day is our man dpk875's latest edition of: Prospects to Watch this Weekend
Here are some of the better prospects in action this weekend. I'm not perfect, if I've missed a fight that you know of... or someone has pulled out of a fight let me know in the comments section.
Tachi Palace Fights - 22 Aug - Lemoore, CA
Marcello Cassero (7-0) vs. Art Arciniega (13-4)
Cassero has the unblemished record, but only 2 of those fights have come since he took 3+ year hiatus starting in 2009. Arciniega comes in on a six fight winning streak, the longest of his career.
Jungle Fights - 24 Aug - Parana, Brazil
BW
Mario Israel (8-0) vs. Reginaldo Vieira (9-2)
Israel packs some serious power, and good technique into his MMA game. 5 of his 8 wins are by KO/TKO, with the other 3 coming by submission. A win over Vieira would help make his case for the UFC, as Vieira's only blemishes have come at the hands of RFA Bantamweight Champ Pedro Munhoz, and TUF Brazil winner Rony Jason. This fight is for the Vacant Jungle Fight BW title, and that means something because UFC has signed many fighters after they became Jungle Fights Champions... the most recent is Ivan Jorge.
Dragon House Fights - 24 Aug - San Francisco, CA
MW
Dominic Pica (2-0) vs. Matt Major (6-3)
Pica has a strong Greco Roman, and folkstyle wrestling background. Dominic was big part of the California team that finished 2nd in the Junior Greco Roman National duels in 2008. He was also 2009 California State Wrestling Champion, and wrestled at the Iowa Central Community College during the 2010-2011 season where he racked up a 14-1 record. Iowa Central Community College is the same college that Jon Jones, Cain Velasquez, and former Bellator FW Champion Joe Soto wrestled for part of their College career. Pica is 22 years old, and now trains with Cesar Gracie, starting his Pro Career with 2 TKOs in a combined time of just over 2 minutes.
Shooto Brazil - 25 Aug - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
WW
Hernani Perpetuo (16-3) vs. Tommy Depret
Perpetuo was rated 5th on the 2012 BE Welterweight scouting report. He trains with some of the best in the business at Nova Uniao, and has won 7 of 8, with 1 No Contest. He does everything well, and has the athletic ability to compete at the highest levels
Made 4 The Cage - 24 Aug - Tyne and Wear, England
WW
Walter Gahadza (10-0) vs. Ryan Scope (7-0)
Who will be the next British fighter to land in the UFC or Bellator? It very likely could be the winner of this fight, as two young undefeated Welterweights put their perfect record on the line here. The 21 year old Scope is looking to grapple, but was actually in trouble, and eating some mean ground and pound last time out before he regrouped and slapped on a very nice triangle over previously undefeated Luke Newman (5-1). Gahadza is 25 years old, and 10 of his 11 victories by stoppage, with a mix of TKOs, and submissions.
RUFF - 24 Aug - Shanghai, China
FW
Guan Wang (11-0-1) vs. Sandro da Silva (3-2)
Wang brings a Sanda martial arts base to his MMA game, and is considered by some to be the best pound for pound Chinese fighter. At only 27 years old, he is also just entering the prime years of his career. If he continues to win, he will certainly be on the UFC radar as they try to move more and more into the Chinese market.
Review from Last week
RFA
Pedro Munhoz (9-0) likely stamped his invitation to the UFC with a solid victory over long time MMA veteran Jeff Curran. Steve Mocco (3-0) won a convincing, but boring decision over Lew Polley. Mocco can do a lot with his wrestling, and top control, but now needs to work on finishing opponents as he begins to step up in competition. Alan Jouban (7-1) who was the #7 prospect on the BE 2012 Prospect report scored a 3rd round TKO over Strikeforce, and UFC vet Chris Spang. Jouban has now won 6 in a row, and his only loss is to fellow WW prospect Chidi Njokuani back in 2011.
Shinzo Fight Sport
Chidi Njokuani (10-4) scored a 1st round TKO over Levon Maynard, to get back in the win column after losing in his previous fight.
Cage Fury Fighting Championships
Lightweight Jordan Stiner (5-0) scored a 2nd round submission victory over Donald Ooton (4-1).
King of the Cage
Josh Paiva (4-0) ended Zach Lari's (9-4) 4 fight winning streak with a KO in the 4th round.
Challenge MMA
Another talented Welterweight training at Tri-Star Gym, Alex Garcia (10-1) scored a quick 1st round submission over Chris Heatherly. Garcia is one of the top Welterweight prospects in the sport, and his only loss came to UFC fighter Seth Baczynski just over 2 years ago. He has responded with 4 straight wins, and could be coming to UFC or Bellator in the near future.
Edit: Looks like Ryan Scope is out of his fight with Walter Gahadza... Gahadza will now fight Alan Johnston (6-1)
Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in Monday's column.
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