Eddie Alvarez is officially a free agent. ESPN.com originally broke the news of Alvarez’s split with Bellator. Alvarez will have to relinquish the Bellator Lightweight title, after he does so Eddie will be free to pursue a contract with any promotion he chooses.
“We’ve granted Eddie his unconditional release this morning. Eddie is free to explore the free agent market, we hold no matching rights, and we wish him the best in the future.” stated Bellator CEO Scott Coker in a press release Tuesday.
Alvarez (25-3) has been with Bellator since its inception, capturing the company’s lightweight title on two separate occasions. Most recently regaining the title in a split decision win over Bellator rival Michael Chandler. In 2012 it looked as though Eddie might jump ship to the UFC, but tricky contract negotiations kept him in Bellator.
“This was a long process but it’s a decision that everyone seems happy with,” stated Alvarez in the press release. “I think it’s important to say that I am genuinely thankful for my time at Bellator. I know that sounds a little crazy given everything I went through, but I’ve fought there since 2009, and have been involved in some really amazing fights. The staff there always treated me great, and I’m going to miss seeing a lot of those familiar faces around for sure. Myself and my team had some really good discussions with Scott, but in my heart I knew I was ready to move on and start the next chapter in my career.”
This comes as exciting news to fight fans who hope that the UFC will soon swoop up Alvarez, adding another killer to its murderers row of lightweight fighters.
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