Eddie Alvarez to return to action on Jan. 23 in Atlantic City

Eddie Alvarez, one of the top ranked lightweight in the world, is set to make his return to action on Jan. 23 in Atlantic City, N.J. at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino as a headliner for Monte Cox’s Extreme Challenge.

Alvarez revealed the news recently with the website iGuillotine.com and FiveOuncesOfPain.com confirmed the news on Tuesday afternoon with his manager, Cox.

“The only thing I know 100 percent sure right now is Jan. 23 I’ll be fighting here in Atlantic City at the Tropicana,” Alvarez, a native of Philadelphia, is quoted as telling iGuillotine.com in a video interview. “Bring it back home. I’ve been fighting overseas a lot lately. And (with) the jet lag and everything else, it’s good just to drive 40 minutes from home, get a fight and then go home and rest.”

Cox indicated that Alvarez’s opponent for the event has yet to be determined but that the promotion is working towards finalizing one within the next week.

Alvarez most recently competed in DREAM’s lightweight Grand Prix and qualified for the finals after going 3-0 in the tournament. However, Alvarez was denied an opportunity to take home the Grand Prix title after a cut prevented him from competing in the final against Shinya Aoki.

Joachim Hansen, who Alvarez had defeated in the quarterfinals, replaced Alvarez after winning a tournament reserve match, was declared the champion after TKO’ing Aoki in the first round.

Alvarez, 15-1, is a former BodogFIGHT welterweight champion and is contracted to EliteXC. However, because Alvarez’s primary contract is through Cox’s Adrenaline MMA promotion, he has singificantly more contractual freedom than the average fighter under contract to EliteXC.