Category: ONE Championship

Eddie Alvarez: Eventual ONE title would make me best lightweight in history

Eddie Alvarez came to ONE Championship with a big goal, no doubt. A win Wednesday could put him back on the cusp of it.

[autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] came to ONE Championship with a big goal, no doubt. A win Wednesday could put him back on the cusp of it.

At ONE on TNT I, former UFC and Bellator champion Alvarez (30-7) takes on 25-year-old Moldova-born standout Iuri Lapicus (14-1), a recent welterweight title challenger whose loss to champ Christian Lee was the first setback of his career.

A win over Lapicus would be two straight for Alvarez in ONE after an upset loss in his promotional debut – and could put him next in line for a shot at Lee.

Put simply, if Alvarez got a title shot and won, he thinks it would catapult his legacy beyond just one of the best to ever do it.

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“For me, personally, I’d be the greatest lightweight to ever grace the sport of MMA. That’s how I feel about it,” Alvarez said during a recent virtual media day for ONE on TNT I in Singapore. “It’s easy to be great for five years or 10 years and have that energy to be able to do that, just take on the sport. … But this is almost two decades, traveling all parts of the world, fighting champion after champion after champion from all over – not staying in one place and taking on all challengers.

“At the end of the day, my resume will speak for itself – and anyone who wants to debate it, just check the scoreboard.”

That scoreboard includes lightweight titles for Bellator and the UFC, as well as other minor promotions earlier his in career. But having three major titles would be a milestone, to be certain.

Alvarez said he’s not sure if just beating Lapicus will guarantee he’s next in line, but also said it won’t impact how he goes into the fight either way.

“A statement with a big win will do it, (but) I’m not the promoter,” Alvarez said. “For me, it’s about going in there and always making a big statement. I’m not here just to win. Wins are for me; being spectacular is for the fans. I step in the cage and the idea always is to be spectacular. Winning is usually just a byproduct of that.”

Although Alvarez turned 37 in January, he was dismissive of any notion that his career is winding down.

Statistically, he may be in the latter half of his career. But Alvarez said the time he lost in 2020 due to the pandemic worked to his advantage for a bit of a restart.

“I don’t have a limited window,” he said. “This is almost my second decade in this sport, and I love what I do. It hasn’t been frustrating (being off). I got a chance to heal, and I’ve been fighting two decades. A little bit of time off never hurts anybody. It wasn’t just my problem; it was the world’s problem. … In my eyes, I got a chance to see my family, see my kids, and work that part of my life. I’m a father and a husband first who just happens to fight. I got a chance to be a better father and a better husband.”

ONE on TNT I takes place Wednesday at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore. The main card airs on TNT following prelims on B/R Live.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3146: Guest Randy Costa, Bellator 255 recap, UFC/ONE previews, more (noon ET)

Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here and will be live on SportsCastr at noon ET.

Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here and will be live on SportsCastr at noon ET.

On episode 3,146, the boys will talk to guest Randy Costa, look back at this past Friday’s Bellator 255, and look ahead to a big week of fights – including ONE on TNT 1 (Wednesday), Bellator 256 (Friday) and UFC on ABC 2 (Saturday). They’ll also discuss all the biggest recent news.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

How to watch ONE on TNT 1: Fight card, start time, results, odds, live stream for Moraes vs. Johnson

Here’s how to watch the Adriano Moraes vs. Demetrious Johnson flyweight title bout from Singapore.

ONE Championship kicks off the most prolific month in its history this week with the first of four straight events on TNT.

Here’s how to watch the Adriano Moraes vs. Demetrious Johnson flyweight title bout from Singapore.

Eddie Alvarez unfazed by Iuri Lapicus’ threat to end his career at ONE on TNT I

Eddie Alvarez isn’t impressed by rival Iuri Lapicus’ threat to end his career at ONE on TNT I, and said he’s ready to challenge Christian Lee for the ONE lightweight belt.

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If you come at [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag], you better not miss.

The former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion is preparing to face former title challenger [autotag]Iuri Lapicus[/autotag] at ONE on TNT I, and noted comments from the Moldovan contender during their pre-fight conference call, where he stated his intention to end the career of “The Underground King” career in Singapore.

Reacting to the comments, Alvarez pulled rank on the 25-year-old and told the young contender to slow his roll with the pre-fight trash talk.

“I think if you ever threaten me with ending of my career, at first, you have to get a career,” Alvarez laughed. “You haven’t been around long enough to even have a career to threaten to take mine away. That’s how I feel about that. I think he’s green, I think he’s young, and I don’t think he’s been through the situations in my career in fourth and fifth rounds where I just think the experience level is too much. If I drag him into any kind of a fight (like) that I’ll beat him.”

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Lapicus (14-1) surged into title contention with an unbeaten record and a string of first-round finishes but was TKO’d in the first round by champion Christian Lee at “ONE Championship 121: Inside the Matrix” last November. Now he’s looking to bounce back into title contention by defeating Alvarez (30-7), whose last outing saw him defeat former two-time lightweight champion Eduard Folayang in 2019.

Alvarez has captured championship gold in every major organization he’s fought for and plans on continuing that remarkable trend by adding the ONE Championship lightweight title – which is contested at 170 pounds – to his already packed trophy cabinet. He also said his pedigree speaks for itself and that, once he gets past Lapicus, he should be next up to challenge lightweight champ Christian Lee.

“I don’t feel I need to prove myself to anyone,” Alvarez said. “I can beat any champion in the world, just give me my title shot. I don’t know why we’re wasting time. After I beat Iuri Lapicus, then I’ll get my title shot. If this promotion sincerely thinks Christian Lee is the best welterweight in the world and that he can beat me, then prove it.

“I always thought champions came from everywhere, and I’m the guy who proved that right. I went to every organization and became champion. So the best in the world, as far as I’m concerned, it’s where I’m at.”

ONE on TNT I takes place Wednesday, April 7 at Singapore Indoor Stadium. The event airs on TNT and B/R Live.

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Demetrious Johnson on earning his ONE Championship title shot, GOAT talk

Former UFC flyweight champion and ONE flyweight grand prix champion Demetrious Johnson talks ahead of his flyweight title bout with Adriano Moraes at ONE on TNT I.

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Former UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] has his eyes on another belt, and he’s happy to have earned his title shot the hard way.

Speaking ahead of his upcoming flyweight title bout with reigning champion Adriano Moraes at ONE on TNT I, Johnson (30-3-1 MMA, 3-0 ONE) opened up on his thoughts on his ONE Championship journey to date, as he entered, and subsequently won, the ONE flyweight grand prix to earn his shot at three-time flyweight champion Moraes’ title. He also discussed his take on MMA’s “greatest of all-time” debate, and his place within that conversation.

ONE on TNT I takes place Wednesday, April 7 at Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore. The event airs on TNT and B/R Live.

ONE on TNT I broadcast lineup finalized, includes addition of ‘Reug Reug’

If two former UFC champs isn’t enough reason for you to check out ONE’s TNT debut, will “Reug Reug” push your interest over the top?

If two former UFC champs isn’t enough reason for you to check out ONE’s TNT debut, will the addition of viral sensation “Reug Reug” push your interest over the top?

ONE officials recently announced the complete broadcast lineup for ONE on TNT I, which airs live in primetime in the U.S. on April 7 from Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The company previously revealed that former UFC flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson (30-3-1) will challenge reigning ONE flyweight titleholder Adriano Moraes (18-3) in the night’s main event, while former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez (30-7) will face former ONE lightweight title challenger Iuri Lapicus (14-1) in the co-main.

Rounding out the TNT-broadcast main card is a all-striking contest in four-ounce gloves with ONE flyweight muay Thai champ Rodtang Jitmuangnon in a non-title catchweight affair against British striker Jacob Smith.

Meanwhile, the prelims feature “Reug Reug,” aka [autotag]Oumar Kane[/autotag] (2-0), the massive Senegalese wrestling standout who kicked his career off under the ARES FC banner before transitioning to ONE earlier this year, picking up a TKO win over Alain Ngalani. Kane’s next challenge comes in the form of Iranian heavyweight [autotag]Mehdi Barghi[/autotag] (4-3) and streams live on B/R Live.

The complete ONE on TNT 1 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (TNT, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Adriano Moraes vs. Demetrious Johnson – for flyweight title
  • Eddie Alvarez vs. Iuri Lapicus
  • Rodtang Jitmuangnon vs. Jacob Smith (muay Thai)

PRELIMINARY CARD (B/R Live, 8:30 p.m. ET)

  • Tyler McGuire vs. Raimond Magomedaliev
  • Rade Opacic vs. Patrick Schmid (kickboxing)
  • Mehdi Barghi vs. Oumar Kane

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Make no mistake, Eddie Alvarez will be bothered if he doesn’t win ONE Championship title

Former UFC and Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez won’t be satisfied until he adds one more major MMA title to his collection.

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[autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] says he won’t be fulfilled with his career unless he adds one more title belt to his collection.

Alvarez (30-7), who’s won prominent championships across various MMA organizations, including Bellator and the UFC, is looking to chase after one more before calling it quits. He takes on former title challenger Iuri Lapicus (14-1) on April 7 at ONE on TNT I in a bout he expects will earn him a title shot if he’s able to have a standout performance.

It’s an opponent Alvarez admits is still a bit of a mystery to him.

“I haven’t gotten much tape. If you guys got any tape, I’d love to get it off you,” Alvarez recently quipped with MMA Junkie Radio. “The only tape I’ve really seen was Christian Lee. I know this much: I know he’s from a judo background, so he’s well-versed in grappling. He’s training with Giorgio Petrosyan, who I always considered one of the best strikers in the world.

“So I know he has good guidance, and coming off the first loss of his career, I’d imagine he’s going to be hungrier than ever. That being said, for me, I’m chasing history and he’s in my way. So it’s important to get him out of there, and get him out of there in a decent fashion that kind of warrants a title fight.”

With wins over the likes of Michael Chandler, Anthony Pettis, Rafael dos Anjos and Justin Gaethje, the 37-year-old Alvarez has beaten a who’s who in MMA. But despite his championship-filled accolades, Alvarez thinks one more major achievement would prove quite historical.

“I have to win this title,” Alvarez said. “I have to. That’ll bug me. There’s a lot of things that bug me, but this’ll bug me. I think it’s a part of history. Very few people are going to have the opportunity to make this history, so in a sense I’m lucky, and in another sense I’m obligated to put forth my best effort to do it. I just don’t think a lot of people will be in this position ever, and I’m in it, and I’m fortunate enough to be in it. So I have to do this for myself, yes.”

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Fight booking wire (March 15-21): Johnny Eduardo off Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 22

Use our fight booking wire throughout the week to keep tabs on all the latest matchups in the UFC, Bellator, PFL, ONE Championship and more.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

Each week, we’ll compile all the new fight bookings right here – in one spot. Worried you missed a UFC or Bellator matchup, a playoff pairing for the PFL, or a title fight scheduled for ONE or LFA?

Our fight booking wire will keep tabs on it all and will update any time we’ve got new matchups — so you’ll want to come back throughout the week to see the latest.

Here are fight announcements that have been broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie for this week, March 15-21:

Fight booking wire (March 8-14): A familiar name returns to the Bellator cage

Use our fight booking wire throughout the week to keep tabs on all the latest matchups in the UFC, Bellator, PFL, ONE Championship and more.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got you covered.

Each week, we’ll compile all the new fight bookings right here – in one spot. Worried you missed a UFC or Bellator matchup, a playoff pairing for the PFL, or a title fight scheduled for ONE or LFA?

Our fight booking wire will keep tabs on it all and will update any time we’ve got new matchups — so you’ll want to come back throughout the week to see the latest.

Here are fight announcements that have been broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie for this week, March 8-14:

Mark Abelardo’s insane standing elbow obliterates opponent for KO at ONE Championship 130

Mark Abelardo elbowed right through Emilio Urrutia’s face.

Friday’s ONE Championship 130 event was dubbed “Fists of Fury II.” They didn’t say anything about elbows.

They probably would’ve had they known [autotag]Mark Abelardo[/autotag] would do what he did.

Abelardo delivered an absolutely scintillating knockout of [autotag]Emilio Urrutia[/autotag] in their featherweight bout at Singapore Indoor Stadium. With both men closing in to strike simultaneously, Abelardo obliterated Urrutia by landing a vicious right elbow flush on his chin.

Check this out (via Twitter):

Abelardo elbowed right through that man’s face. From the looks of it, I’d initially thought Abelardo somehow got away with landing a 12-6 elbow from standing position, but upon review – and with an assist from MMA Junkie’s Nolan King – that was more like a 2-7 or 2-8.

The angle of the red line below shows that:

Regardless, THAT. WAS. INSANE.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.