Eddie Alvarez ‘amicably’ part ways with ONE Championship and enters free agency

Eddie Alvarez is a free agent again.

The former UFC lightweight champion has officially parted ways with ONE Championship after signing a lucrative multi-fight deal with the promotion back in 2018. Alvarez announced the news via Twitter after receiving an initial report by the South China Morning Post ..

“Confirmed. I have decided to leave ONE.” Alvarez stated. We parted ways peacefully and I am still in good terms with the ONE Team. I want to thank Chatri [Sityodtong] for the opportunity and I look forward to watching their continued success. Now I am officially an agent free to hunt. Tell me who’s next?”

Alvarez leaves ONE with a 1-2 record along with one no contest in his four fights with the organization.

His debut as part of the ONE Lightweight World Grand Prix was spoiled after Timofey Nastyukhin finished Alvarez in brutal fashion with a first-round knockout. Alvarez later re-entered the tournament as an alternate where he defeated Eduard Folayang via submission but then had to drop out of the Grand Prix due to injuries.

Alvarez then suffered a no contest after Iuri Lapicus was unable to continue following shots that were originally deemed as illegal. ONE later overturned the disqualification to a no contest.

In his last bout with ONE in April 2021, Alvarez lost a unanimous decision to future lightweight champion Ok Rae Yoon.

ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong later revealed that an offer was made for Alvarez to compete on the ONE X card in 2022 but he said Philadelphia native “turned down” a fight against Saygid Izagakhmaev. That was the last fight booking rumored for Alvarez prior to his exit from the promotion.

There’s not yet any word on Alvarez’s future plans, but he is free to sign for any promotion once he has left ONE Championship. Alvarez, prior to joining the UFC was a stalwart of Bellator MMA. He served as a twice-champion lightweight.