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Alvarez Shell Shocked as Bellator Belt Changes Hands

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20/11/11 - Alvarez shell-shocked as Bellator belt changes hands

Eddie Alvarez was not the only person left shell-shocked and stunned after the Bellator lightweight title changed hands on Saturday night.

Undefeated challenger Michael Chandler put it on Alvarez from the opening bell with a mixture of power punches and takedown attempts. It was the hardest fight Alvarez had been in for years.

Alvarez often found himself with his back to the cage fending off takedown attempts and that gradually took its toll, while Chandler kept up a machine-like work rate.

In the fourth, Chandler dropped Alvarez with a booming right hand and followed him to the floor, passed his guard with relative ease and then took mount.

Here he bombarded Alvarez, who was forced to turn his back in order to make an escape attempt. Chandler had been waiting for that though and he was straight in with the rear-naked choke to take the victory and the Bellator lightweight title.

“Chandler vs. Alvarez was quite simply the best mixed martial arts fight I have ever seen,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “After having watched over a thousand fights since the early 1990’s, I’ve never seen a better back and forth battle.

“Chandler’s win over Alvarez is a win over a fighter who I believed was the best lightweight in the world, while at the same time is a testament to what Bellator is all about.”

Fighters Only Magazine - The World's Greatest MMA Magazine - News - Alvarez shell-shocked as Bellator belt changes hands

[MIZJUDOZOU]

“Chandler vs. Alvarez was quite simply the best mixed martial arts fight I have ever seen,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “After having watched over a thousand fights since the early 1990’s, I’ve never seen a better back and forth battle.

Until he later watched Hendo vs. Shogun.

In all honesty this was a great fight. If you missed it due to the UFC card check it out. Chandler is a beast. Eddie weathered the storm and made a good comeback.

This whole bellator card was good. Lombard was viscous as usual. I thought Marlon Sandro came back strong.

It will be interesting to see what Eddie A's next move will be. I hope they still have him fight Aoki.

[KillahKimbo]

Aoki should get Chandler instead.

[GL Jeff]

Alvarez was never the best LW in the world,top 5 yes, but thats it. Chandler pretty much owned him from opening bell, but the fight battled back and forth and it was very much one of the best fights of the year.

I think the LW strap changes hands a few times in Bellator now, dont see it staying in one place for long.

As for Eddie, i guess he will be in the next LW tournament.

[disposableassassin]

alverez in the next tourney will be cool i love bellators format

[joeodd2]

I honestly don't think there is such a thing as "the best lightweight fighter in the world", this division has so many beasts in it. There isn't one guy holding on to a strap for too long, not like Anderson Silva or GSP. Frankie has a ways to go before cementing that claim, but with so many recognizable LW fighters outside the UFC, the what if speculation may never cease to exist.