Lightweight contenders Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier have agreed to a rematch pinned for the recently announced UFC Calgary. Early yesterday morning Alvarez announced he had signed a bout agreement with Dustin Poirier for the recently announced UFC Calgary event, in an auspicious tweet.
See you in Calgary @DustinPoirier best of luck my friend ??@ufc
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) May 10, 2018
He later confirmed he had signed a bout agreement in another tweet.
Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier Official
Following the former Lightweight champion’s statement, a report surfaced suggesting otherwise. Within an hour of Alvarez’ statement, Brett Okamoto of ESPN made a series of tweets casting light upon Poirier’s perspective.
Hold the phone on Alvarez, Poirier 2 … I'm told this deadline was not for show. Dustin is not happy about how long this has taken and how it's continued to hold up his life. As of this moment, his side is telling me there is "1,000 percent" no fight right now. https://t.co/bq1vF0u8Yn
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 10, 2018
Worth remembering history from Dustin's perspective on this one … fought Eddie one year ago, didn't get win bonus after he got hit by an illegal knee. Eddie went on to get the TUF gig. Now he's been asked to hold up his life for Eddie to accept the rematch. "He's fed up."
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 10, 2018
As fortune has it, despite the reported lingering frustration from Poirier’s camp, both parties now seem to be on board. Poirier tweeted last night a short response seeming to indicate a rematch is all but official.
See you there! ? https://t.co/AylVVutl71
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) May 11, 2018
Unfinished Business
If finalized, the bout would serve as a rematch. The first time the two entered the octagon, neither left the winner. Instead, the bout ended by way of a “No Contest”, after Eddie Alvarez landed what was deemed to be an inadvertent yet illegal knee to a downed Poirier.
For the short length of the contest, the matchup proved to be as entertaining as many hoped it would be. Therefore making the dangling prospect of the rematch weigh heavily on the greater MMA community.
Since their first meeting, both men have turned in impressive victories over top contenders. Poirier remained more active, defeating Anthony Pettis at UFC Fight Night 120 and recently dispatched Justin Gaethje in the fourth round of their main event contest at UFC on Fox 29.
While Eddie Alvarez has been less active recently, his situation is much different. After he defeated Gaethje himself at UFC 218, Alvarez had only one fight left on his contract. The lightweight contender had no desire to fight under that pretense. When speaking with MMA Fighting, he stated, “It’s not f*****g happening, I’m not fighting until I get a new deal.”
At the moment, no contract renewal has been announced by neither the UFC nor the Alvarez or his team. The bout also remains unofficial.
UFC Calgary takes place from the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on July 28th. Fights confirmed for the summer event include Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Tecia Torres, Jose Aldo vs. Jeremy Stephens, and Randa Markos vs. Nina Ansaroff.
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