MMA Twitter reacts angrily as Eddie Alvarez is denied yet another win in ONE Championship
Eddie Alvarez has been looking to achieve what no lightweight in the world has done: conquer championship belts across Bellator, UFC, and ONE Championship. 'The Underground King' wants to cement his legacy as the best lightweight ever, or at least the most accomplished.
However, things haven't been going according to plan for the former Bellator and UFC lightweight champion. Eddie Alvarez faced Iuri Lapicus at 'ONE on TNT 1' on April 7, 2021, and suffered a disqualification (DQ) illegal for strikes to the back of his opponent's head. The referee's call was controversial, to say the least.
Recently, ONE Championship officials decided to overturn the DQ to a no-contest, and while it offered some respite, many felt that it should have been a win. In all fairness, Eddie Alvarez was clearly winning that fight. But an NC is better than a DQ on an athlete's record.
Eddie Alvarez had his shot at redemption at 'ONE on TNT 4', where he was pitted against Ok Rae Yoon. The fight went the three-round distance, and the judges awarded a unanimous decision victory to Rae Yoon. The disappointment was visible on Eddie Alvarez's face.
MMA Twitter reacts to Eddie Alvarez's loss:
Fans took to Twitter to express their displeasure with the outcome of the bout. Many felt that although Alvarez got knocked down and took a beating in round one, he came back very strong in rounds two and three. It's important to mention that ONE Championship doesn't score bouts per round but instead in their entirety.
Even so, the consensus amongst MMA Twitter seems to be that Eddie Alvarez did more than enough to clinch the win. Some went as far as to say that ONE Championship is doing everything they can to deny 'The Underground King' a victory.
It's safe to say that people aren't happy with the outcome of this fight. It's been a tough month for Eddie Alvarez. After a controversial DQ overturned to a no-contest, to come back with such heart and lose this fight must be heartbreaking. Some agree with the decision and think Alvarez didn't do enough to win, especially under ONE Championship's judging system.
Either way, we wish 'The Underground King' the very best on his journey going forward. He's had an incredible career so far, and we'd love to see him get back in the "win" column.
What did you think of the fight and the decision? Tell us in the comments below.