Back at UFC 211, tough division contender Dustin Poirier and former title holder Eddie Alvarez went toe-to-toe in a battle for division dominance. Poirier was seemingly getting the better of his opponent, until the fighter was struck with a series of illegal strikes to the head.
The fight was ultimately ruled a no contest, leaving many fight fans fervent for a rematch. Poirier would go on to claim that Alvarez has declined a rematch offer against him on five separate occasions since then.
However, Alvarez has since come forward to admit that he declined a single fight offer against Poirier. However, the fighter is now open to the possibility of fighting him now.
Speaking on The MMA Hour, Alvarez offered his thoughts on the situation.
“The thought of ducking or not signing, that’s just silly talk.”
“I believe I was offered Dustin the first time he was angry. But I was given The Ultimate Fighter show, and I think that’s where all his bitterness comes from. I think he wanted to be on The Ultimate Fighter show, they gave me the gig, and I got paid well for that, and I got a very good opponent. So I basically got a better opportunity than Dustin Poirier and I took it. If that’s ducking, then I’m ducking, yes, But I’ll always take more money and a better opponent over someone else any day of the week.”
“We spoke about it. But the only thing spoken about after Justin Gaethje was re-signing with the UFC. I never got an opponent or a bout agreement. They never said ‘here’s a bout agreement for an opponent.’ The only thing we spoke of was re-signing and we haven’t come to that agreement yet. So I’m guessing there’s not going to be an opponent or a bout agreement in the mail unless I’m ready to re-sign. So when we come to agreement to re-sign, then I’m sure there will be a bout agreement in the mail.”
“I leave every option open. I always have throughout my whole career. I’m willing to do whatever. I want to sit down with the UFC and just come to an agreement. I feel like the best guys are here, I still have a couple guys in the division that I want to take out and have on my resume so I definitely have some unfinished business here.”
“That wouldn’t bother me at all. At this point, I just want the UFC to come to me with a fight. I kind of want to get my deal done with UFC, and then I kind of want to do what the UFC wants to do. If the UFC says that’s next fight, then that’s next fight. I want to be in a fight I’m excited about.”
“I feel like it went exactly the way I thought it would go, except he was able to gut it out. I didn’t see him gutting it out. It looked like he was switching stances, he was doing a lot of the things I was doing. I know how hard Justin kicks, so I didn’t see Dustin gutting it out. I thought Justin Gaethje would end up taking over and winning. But Dustin surprised a lot of people and stuck in there so my hat’s off to him, he fought well.”
