Lightweight legend and the former UFC and Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez intended to get his disqualification loss reversed, but the outlook is looking bleak.
In a chaotic striking sequence, it seemed like Eddie Alvarez was in a good position to finish the fight against Iuri Lapicus at ONE on TNT 1. However, amidst the flurry of punches, Alvarez allegedly struck the back of his opponent’s head several times. Upon seeing the strikes, the referee decided to step in quickly and end the fight by disqualification. After the event, it seems Alvarez believes that his finishing blows were legal and that the loss should be overturned.
After the referee stepped in, Alvarez was emotional following the crazy ending to the fight. Then, when all was concluded, the former multi-promotional champion re-watched his fight and doubled down on his belief that the referee made a bad call.
“I went back to my room and I was able to watch the clip of the fight and see everything and it was a bad call on the referee’s side,” Eddie Alvarez said at the post-fight media scrum. “The American media is in uproar right now and so are the American fans. I’m going to respectfully ask them to look back at the video and reverse that call.”
Overall, it appeared Eddie Alvarez was confident in his chances at appealing the loss. Since ONE Championship does not use a third party to test and regulate their athletes like most promotions do in North America, the responsibilities fall squarely on the promotion to act on appeals and any other sort of officiating or regulating that would take place outside of the ring or cage.
First and foremost, the lightweight legend emphasized the importance of his opponent’s health but feels the promotion will make the right call after re-watching the tape. In an effort to get the contest overturned, Alvarez continued to plead his case that his striking was within the bounds of the ruleset practiced by ONE Championship. Eddie Alvarez believes the wrong decision was made in the heat of the moment.
“I don’t see how it’s not overturned,” Eddie Alvarez said. “I don’t discredit anyone based on what happens inside that cage. Referee, judging, all that. It’s high emotions and you have to make decisions based on a split second and I think the replay and after everybody goes back and looks will see everything was done righteously. I won fair and square. I’m not trying to anger anyone or climb up any trees. I won tonight. I won.
“I just hope that they go back and look at it and reverse the decision. I’ve made decisions in my past and I’ll be a man and step up and say that it was wrong. But tonight, I won. I think the American media and a lot of media know that I did and are pissed off about it.”
ONE CEO Responds To Eddie Alvarez’s Call For A Decision Reversal
Following the outcry from Alvarez and fans alike, ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong responded to the lightweight legend’s demands of his fight being overturned. Specifically, the CEO made it clear that there were four to five illegal blows thrown. He did concede, however, that Alvarez did not have visibility at that point, nor does he believe the strikes were meant to intentionally foul his opponent.
In addition, Sityodtong confirmed that Alvarez’s opponent Lapicus is in stable condition but implied that the contest won’t be overturned.
“Eddie, the problem is that there were four or five illegal blows,” Sityodtong said. “We reviewed it three times. Eddie didn’t have visibility because I know Eddie definitely didn’t mean to do it.”
Given that was the first show for ONE Championship on primetime TNT, it did not go as expected, but it definitely highlighted the capabilities of the roster. Despite the bleak outcomes for former UFC standouts Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez, perhaps Alvarez may still see a rematch in the future.
What do you make of the ending between Lapicus and Eddie Alvarez? Do you agree with the CEO of ONE Championship? Let us know what you think below!
