Eddie Alvarez: “I’m Pretty Pissed Off Right Now”
Bellator superstar ready to redeem himself against Shinya Aoki
By Joshua Molina
Former Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez is ready to get back inside the cage and avenge a loss to Japanese submission artist Shinya Aoki.
Bellator appears close to signing the fight between the two top stars. Alvarez tapped out to Aoki at K-1 – Dynamite!! Power of Courage event on New Year’s Eve in 2008.
“I am pretty agitated and I am pretty pissed off at my last fight,” Alvarez told fcfighter.com. “I just want to go out there and redeem myself. Aoki is the perfect guy to do it against.
Since the 2008 fight Alvarez has stepped up his game and emerged as one of the best in the world, after racking up seven straight wins. The Philadelphia native lost his last fight, and his Bellator Lightweight Championship, to Michael Chandler, also by submission, in November.
So he’s ready to seek some revenge.
Aoki has won seven straight fights since he was dismantled in 2010 by Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez, who fought a strategically perfect fight to defeat the feared submission artist.
Alvarez said he is on the road back to the top of the sport and Aoki stands in his way.
“It’s a rematch I have been waiting for,” Alvarez said.
Alvarez said he just wants to get a contract, a date and a venue confirmed for the fight, before he gets too excited about it. He expects those details, however, to be confirmed by Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney soon.
In the meantime, he’s training and ready for the call. The loss to Chandler was a huge setback, but also humbled him again. It reminded him that there’s always room for improvement and that he should never take anything for granted. To get back to Chandler, he must stop Aoki.
When he fought Aoki the first time, Alvarez said he was just starting to believe that he could compete with the top guys. But now, he knows that he can hang with the best.
“I know I can beat anybody,” Alvarez said.
He also knows that Aoki has gotten better since their first fight too.
When the two collide in the cage – it will be a war.
“I know he’s training just like I am,” Alvarez said. “He’s coming to battle. This is a big fight. This is a fight people want to see.”