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.”

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.”