Alvarez Ready For ONE Debut
For the first time in 13 years, Eddie Alvarez will fight at Sumo Hall, as he debuts for ONE Championship on March 31st.
Alvarez, a former champion in both Bellator and UFC, shocked the MMA community in November when he signed with the Singapore based promotion, who joined former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson as big money signings with the promotion.
Eddie Alvarez dives deep into the mindset of a World Champion. Will his mental strength allow him to conquer the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix? Full docu-feature 👉 https://t.co/gJyNp5y8SH @Ealvarezfight #WeAreONE #ANewEra #Tokyo #MartialArts pic.twitter.com/2wenMzOa1X
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) March 29, 2019
“I want to thank Chatri [Sityodtong], One Championship founder] for bringing me back here,” Alvarez said at a fight week press event. “This is where I made a name for myself in front of the Japanese audience, representing America in a tournament. This is exactly where I want to be, right here.”
“I asked for it [the grand prix], and I got it,” he added. “I don’t say it to be a tough guy or try to be something I’m not. I know how I respond to dangerous things.
“I usually respond in a way I don’t even know I’m capable of. I’m looking forward to someone getting in my face, doing some damage, and letting that dog come out.”
Several in MMA thought that it would be Shinya Aoki to welcome Alvarez back to Japan in a trilogy fight, instead Aoki will look to take the lightweight title from current champion Eduard Folayang.
“I’m super focused on the grand prix. I have no concerns about Shinya Aoki. He don’t even hold the belt,” Alvarez said. “I’m not being disrespectful but a lot of people are asking me about Shinya. He’s not even the belt-holder.”
“My concern is the guy in front of me, Timofey (Nastyukhin). I’d be disrespecting him if I thought about anybody else. But if I have my eyes on anything, it’s this shiny thing up here. I don’t really see a guy in front of it. I just want that world title. It’s the only one I don’t have. That’s all I’ve got my eyes on.”
Look Below for the full card of ONE Championship’s A New Era
Main Card
B/R Live, 5:30 a.m. ETLightweight Title Fight: Eduard Folayang vs. Shinya Aoki
Strawweight Title: Jing Nan Xiong vs. Angela Lee
Middleweight Title:Â Aung La N Sang vs. Ken Hasegawa
Bantamweight Title: Kevin Belingon vs. Bibiano Fernandes
Flyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal: Demetrious Johnson vs. Yuya Wakamatsu
Lightweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal: Eddie Alvarez vs. Timofey Nastyukhin
Preliminary Card
Facebook, Twitter, 2:30 a.m. ETFlyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal: Senzo Ikeda vs. Danny Kingad
Flyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal: Kairat Akhmetov vs. Reece McLaren
Kseniya Lachkova vs. Mei Yamaguchi
Anthony Engelen vs. Garry Tonon
Chang Min Yoon vs. Bala Shetty
Report: South China Morning Post