# Eddie Alvarez to be tied down by Bellator lawsuit long into 2014



## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

Looks like he's stuck in purgatory for awhile. I was pretty amped to see em join the UFC ranks. Became a fan actually when I saw him submit the bully five times in a row and kicked the dude in the chest in Bully Beatdown and KOed em...haha. Funniest thing I ever saw. 



> Former Bellator LW champ Eddie Alvarez is looking at spending most of the next year in court fighting to get out of his contract with the country's #2 MMA organization.
> 
> Former Bellator Lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez just wants to move on with his career, somewhere outside of Bellator. Unfortunately he signed a contract with a matching period and Bellator won't let him go. The bad news is just getting worse for Alvarez who sold his home to fight the case.
> 
> ...


FREE EDDIE!!!


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

bellator is pure evil


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

It really is spite and nothing more. I laugh when people try to tell me that Bellator is the 'good guy' organization in comparison to the evil UFC. I'd wager this matter won't be settled until well into 2015 - at the earliest.


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## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

I'm trying to figure out how this guy is going to survive. He's gonna burn up a ton of his savings even if he's an instructor. 

Can you believe his last fight was Oct. 12, 2012 against Patricky Freire!!! He's going to be on the shelf for a very long time.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

It has been known for a while that bellator is a crooked company that doesn't honor fighter contracts. No young fighter should ever sign with this company again it is a place for people with no future in the sport.


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

osmium said:


> It has been known for a while that bellator is a crooked company that doesn't honor fighter contracts. No young fighter should ever sign with this company again it is a place for people with no future in the sport.


Yet everyone still signs with them it's puzzling unless they really think they are gonna stay there forever and make a lot in bellator. I told gilbert smith on facebook not to sign with them recently because he would be in purgatory forever so luckily he listened and didn't.


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## osmium (Mar 6, 2007)

I think it is mostly about bad legal representation.


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

could be, I would imagine agents and managers don't care about the clients future as long as they get their money now


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## TheNinja (Dec 10, 2008)

This is horrible... Does anyone know how many more times he would have to fight if he stayed with Bellator before he's just free and clear to leave?

I know it's about pride and what's right, but a man has to make a living.


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## UFC_OWNS (Jul 7, 2010)

you're never free with bellator, you're free when they say you are free like lombard because they knew he was too expensive and wasting their competition so they let the ufc have him.


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## Liddellianenko (Oct 8, 2006)

Frakking Duopolies. Both the UFC and Bellator are equally shady. It's like Coke and Pepsi, McD and BK, Microsoft and Apple .. they both suck. The only decent third alternative in MMA right now seems to be WSOF, too early to tell though.


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## Spite (Jul 7, 2009)

TheNinja said:


> This is horrible... Does anyone know how many more times he would have to fight if he stayed with Bellator before he's just free and clear to leave?
> 
> I know it's about pride and what's right, but a man has to make a living.


I think he had it written into his contract that he had to stay if Bellator could match any potential contract.

So they matched his UFC offer, but of course just the financial side of it. He's arguing that the UFC is the better offer because of the exposure they bring, more sponsorship money, potential bonuses and possibility for an even better contract at some point down the line.

But legally he can't leave because Bellator have 'matched' the UFC's offer.


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## Canadian Psycho (Apr 22, 2007)

TheNinja said:


> This is horrible... Does anyone know how many more times he would have to fight if he stayed with Bellator before he's just free and clear to leave?
> 
> I know it's about pride and what's right, but a man has to make a living.


His contract was technically up - he owed Bellator no further fights, but this pesky 'matching clause' is what's causing trouble and will undoubtedly continue to cause trouble even if Eddie stays with Bellator. It really is just a way to lock fighters in with the company even after they've fulfilled their obligations, unless another organization offers some absurd amount of money that Bellator cannot compete with. 

Personally, I think Eddie's boned. The matter doesn't even go to trial until late 2014. Factor in postponements, delays, bringing in a jury if need be, and the inevitable appeals process, and it could take years to clear this up.


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## No_Mercy (Oct 17, 2006)

UFC_OWNS said:


> Yet everyone still signs with them it's puzzling unless they really think they are gonna stay there forever and make a lot in bellator. I told gilbert smith on facebook not to sign with them recently because he would be in purgatory forever so luckily he listened and didn't.


He made the right move fighting in the Octagon. Perhaps you have a career in management. 



Liddellianenko said:


> Frakking Duopolies. Both the UFC and Bellator are equally shady. It's like Coke and Pepsi, McD and BK, Microsoft and Apple .. they both suck. The only decent third alternative in MMA right now seems to be WSOF, too early to tell though.


Heh...heh. Problem is, if the President (Ray Sefo) has to fight in a card to promote it that shows they need some talent. 



Spite said:


> I think he had it written into his contract that he had to stay if Bellator could match any potential contract.
> 
> So they matched his UFC offer, but of course just the financial side of it. He's arguing that the UFC is the better offer because of the exposure they bring, more sponsorship money, potential bonuses and possibility for an even better contract at some point down the line.
> 
> But legally he can't leave because Bellator have 'matched' the UFC's offer.


 You pretty much nailed it there. Technically they did match it. Bellator/parent company can be cool about it or employ a hard line approach. Right now he's simply a proxy. That's why fighters' need top of the line management who aren't greedy. Sometimes when new fighters get their first big offer they're ready to sign away their careers.


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## Ruckus (Oct 2, 2009)

Damn shame. 


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