Fighters Only

Issue 107

November 2013

All the head-turning information every MMA fan needs to know.

ALVAREZ’S BELLATOR SETTLEMENT SETS UP CHANDLER REMATCH

Top lightweight Eddie Alvarez has settled his legal dispute with Bellator MMA and re-signed with the California-based promotion. He will now face Michael Chandler in a rematch for the lightweight title at the first Bellator pay-per-view in November, headlined by ‘Rampage’ Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz.

Alvarez, a former Bellator 155lb champion, had been at loggerheads with the company after he was offered a potentially lucrative contract with the UFC. Bellator claimed it matched the contract, which would require Alvarez to re-sign with the company, but the striker, favoring the UFC’s offer, disagreed and the sides filed dueling lawsuits. The UFC reportedly offered him an immediate UFC lightweight title shot on a large pay-per-view.

In an official video statement, Alvarez cited the likelihood that legal issues could keep him out of the cage well into 2014 as a significant reason for settling with Bellator.

Alvarez stated in a press release: “This was a long process, but at the end of the day I’m back with Bellator and I’m happy to get back in the cage. I really believe everything happens for a reason, and at the end of the day my family and I are happy, and I’m ready to get my belt back on November 2nd.”

BACK TALK: John Howard (UFC middleweight): “I don’t know if he was right because I don’t know what his position was, maybe something personal or something. I feel he did what’s best for him and what’s best for him at the time probably was going to Bellator, and I give him props if he thought that’s the way to go for himself. You’ve got to do what’s good for you.”

Credit: Josh Hedges / Zuffa LLC

UFC FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMP JOSÉ ALDO QUESTIONS IF HALL OF FAMER RANDY COUTURE USED PEDS

UFC featherweight champion José Aldo has reportedly said he believes multi-time, multi-weight UFC champion and Hall of Famer Randy Couture used performance-enhancing drugs in his career.

Commenting on the prevalence of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in MMA to Tatame magazine, the Brazilian apparently stated he didn’t see a problem with it and that, with the exception of he and his Nova Uniao teammates, he believes “everyone” uses PEDs.

He was quoted: “Americans always used that. Randy Couture fought until he was 50, and you say he was clean? If the doctors prescribe you, and you’re on the limits, OK, I see no problem. If I need that one day, I will use TRT.”