The match has been planned by Bellator for a few months now, but Alvarez recently confirmed that exact time for the bout.

Alvarez and Aoki are two of the top lightweights in the world and among the few fighters out there regarded in such high esteem who do not compete in the UFC.

“It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been wanting to get this back for the past three years so I’m just happy I got the opportunity and that the promoter, Bjorn Rebney, was able to make this come together and happen,” said Alvarez, in an interview with The Fight Nerd.

Alvarez lost his Bellator title to Michael Chandler in late 2011 in a match that many have claimed was the Fight of the Year. Aoki last competed at the DREAM New Year’s Eve event, earning semi-lopsided decision win over Satoru Kitaoka.

PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR/FEG

Chandler ultimately went on to win the fight (and Bellator’s lightweight belt) after Alvarez recovered from two near-knockouts in the bout’s opening round to have Chandler on his heels until a late surge resulted in an evening-ending sequence after Chandler rocked Alvarez, then took him down and locked in a Rear-Naked Choke.

“Eddie’s the man,” said Chandler of the fight. “I don’t know that we could do a better fight than that. He brought it to me the whole time.”

As entertaining a match-up as you’re likely to see in 2011, Alvarez vs. Chandler can be found below:

PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR

The disappointing news was revealed earlier today through a press release where Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney commented, “Alvarez has a huge heart and if there was any way for him to fight on the fifteenth, I know he would.”

Rebney also added that the cancelled championship clash could still take place during Season 5, saying, “Ed’s in spectacular condition, so both of us are hopeful that this fight can potentially still occur later this fall.”

Chandler earned his shot at the 22-2 Alvarez by beating Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard, and Patricky Freire earlier this year and has yet to taste defeat eight fights into his career after an All-American run as an amateur wrestler in college.

Bellator 54 will still feature the “final four” of the Season 5 middleweight tournament as well as 135-pound champ Zack Makovsky taking on 16-9-1 Ryan Roberts in non-title action.

PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR/STRIKEFORCE

According to an official press release, the Season 4 Tournament winner will take the toughest test of his young career on October 15 at Bellator 54 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Adding another layer of complexity to an already stiff task, Alvarez also happens to hail from Philadelphia meaning his supporters from “The City of Brotherly Love” are only about an hour’s drive away from the Boardwalk Hall Ballroom where the event is taking place.

“Fighting this close to home on this big of stage is awesome,” Alvarez replied when asked about the show’s location. “I’ve never lost a fight in the States, and I certainly don’t plan on losing this one. I’ve never had this much time to prepare for a fight, and you’re going to see that preparation on display (at Bellator 54).”

“I watched the (tournament) very closely, and was really impressed with a lot of the competition,” the 22-2 fighter continued. “Knowing that Chandler is my opponent, I’ve already gone back and started to watch film, and I’ll be ready. He brings a really good pace, and it’s going to be a great fight.”

The feeling of respect is mutual between the two as evident in the 25-year old Xtreme Couture product’s response to his highly-touted opponent.

“Eddie is obviously a world class lightweight, but in a lot of the fights I have watched no one has really pushed the pace against him,” Chandler explained. “I want to put him on his heels, and make him respond to what I’m doing in the cage. I’ve got a few months to prepare, and I’ll be more than ready on October 15.”

Chandler earned his opportunity against Alvarez after taking out Marcin Held, Lloyd Woodard, and Patricky “Pitbull” Freire this past spring and improving his record to 8-0 in the process. He currently has an even split between submission/strike-based stoppages with a trio of each.

Though Alvarez doesn’t possess Chandler’s perfect record, the well-rounded champion is considered to be one of the top 155ers in the world with wins finishes against Toby Imada, Josh Neer, Roger Huerta, and Tatsuya Kawajiri. His last fight came in April where he beat Pat Curran via Unanimous Decision.

According to a report from MMAFighting citing CEO Bjorn Rebney, the Bellator 39 match-up will take place on April 2 with Sherdog later naming the venue as being the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut as well as the lightweight title’s involvement. Five Ounces of Pain has since confirmed those things with a source close to the organization.

Curran is 13-3 in a three-year career and has emerged winner six of the last seven times he’s fought. A grappler with improving hands, nearly half of the 23-year old’s victories have been the result of judging with four submissions and three TKOs to his credit as well.

The 21-2 Alvarez is considered to be among the top three lightweights in MMA and should enter the bout as a considerable favorite based on his past finishes of respected competitors such as Huerta, Imada, Joachim Hansen, Josh Neer, and Tatsuya Kawajiri. Nineteen of his twenty-one wins have seen their conclusion come prior to the end of the allotted time frame.

Their bout, as can all Bellator Season 4 action, is expected to take place live on MTV2.

As always, don’t consider this gospel. The fact is, when two finely-tuned individuals step into a cage and let loose the difference between consciousness and looking up at the ceiling is a matter of milliseconds no matter who is ranked where. The individuality inherently involved in a subjective endeavor like ranking fighters, many of whom could easily be argued as deserving different spots based on personal criteria, is not only recognized on Five Ounces’ end but also encouraged in the form of offering your own lists in the “Comments” section below.

1. Frank Edgar (13-1)

Edgar’s mixture of boxing, wrestling, and conditioning make him extremely difficult to defeat as evident in two consecutive wins over a man who was believed to be unbeatable at 155-pounds, B.J. Penn. The UFC lightweight champ’s speed is also among the best in the division. While I’m far from confident he’d handle any of the four men below him, I’ll never doubt Edgar’s ability to emerge victorious in the face of adversity. He may have fallen victim to Gray Maynard’s ground-control and size/strength advantage when they originally faced off, but with his dubyas over Penn, plus Sean Sherk, Tyson Griffin, and Jim Miller, I think he’s definitely deserving of the division’s top spot until at least the conclusion of UFC 125 when the world has a chance to see how he handles “The Bully” a second time.

2. Gilbert Melendez (18-2)

“El Nino” reminds me a bit of Edgar in terms of technical prowess with power in place of the New Jersey fighter’s quickness. He’s rarely outwrestled and can stand with the best if a fight’s pacing dicates the necessity to do so (or he simply feels like proving a point). I personally thought he deserved the decision over Mitsuhiro Ishida at “Yarennoka 2007”, and would have likely received it had the bout been somewhere other than Japan, but a loss is a loss and there is no arguing his underwhelming performance against Josh Thomson in June 2008. However, I believe he grew from each experience and is even better today. For evidence of his evolution, look at the fact he knocked Ishida out in their rematch and thoroughly dominated Thomson when they faced off again, not to mention his dismantling of Shinya Aoki earlier this year.

3. Eddie Alvarez (21-2)

For those that might question Alvarez’s ranking, especially when you consider neither of his career losses have involved the judges’ scorecards, I think the proof is in the poundings. Alvarez has only won by decision twice in his twenty-one total victories and is currently riding a streak of seven straight finishes. Maynard has half his wins and a tenth of his TKOs/submissions, while Penn is coming off back-to-back losses and won’t be returning to 155-pounds until mid-2011 (if ever). Alvarez has power, multi-tiered striking, athleticism, and high-level grappling. In baseball terms, Alvarez is a “five-tool” player, and from a rounded-skills standpoint might be the best overall in this total bunch.

4. B.J. Penn (16-7-1)

Penn is as unique as they come in MMA and defines what it means to be a genuine “fighter” better than most in the sport. His knockout of Matt Hughes at UFC 123 was amazing, as have been so many of his victories, and I truly believe a motivated Baby Jay is likely to mop the floor with anyone who doesn’t have phenomenal wrestling/top-control. He took former UFC 205-pound champ Lyoto Machida to decision in 2005. Need I say more?

5. Gray Maynard (10-0)

I have Maynard slightly above Aoki based on his boxing and wrestling, as those seemed to be two areas Aoki severely struggled in against Melendez and could be susceptible to again if by some incredible feat he was opposite “The Bully” in a ring. The XTreme Couture original has never cleanly fallen, only earning a “No Contest” after knocking himself and his opponent out with a slam, while racking up wins over multiple names on this list, including of course UFC champ Edgar, as well as the always-tough Nate Diaz and Roger Huerta. He may not always come away victorious in the most pleasing of fashions but he’s effective at what he does in the ring and will remain an extremely tough draw for any adversary until proven otherwise.

6. Shinya Aoki (26-5)

Aoki is a victim of not having consistently faced ranked lightweight competitors. While his affiliation with DREAM has allowed him to occasionally take on some of the division’s best, he also gets drawn into bouts built for padding his stats rather than furthering his career. He’s good enough to beat Alvarez, J.Z. Cavalcante, and Tatsuya Kawajiri, yet was completely out-classed by Melendez and has had his knees-knocked on more than one occasion in the past. There’s no question he’s a submission savant but until he improves his takedown defense and stand-up I see his future involving a number of ups and downs, and he can’t get better taking on people like Marcus Aurelio and Yokthai Sithoar in back-to-back bouts.

7. Sean Sherk (36-4-1)

“The Muscle Shark” is an interesting case, as all four of his career losses have come to former/current UFC champions (Penn, Edgar, Hughes, and Georges St. Pierre). Considering that fact, in addition to the notion he’s fought 41 times and beaten people like Ken Florian, Evan Dunham, and Nick Diaz, it almost seems as though he deserves to be higher on most lists, including this one. However, his victory over Dunham was razor-thin and saved him from consecutive defeats and he hasn’t been particularly active over the last few years. With five fights since 2007, two of which involved defeat, it’s difficult to know exactly how he stacks up in the mix. Though the 37-year old’s wrestling and top-control are top notch, they’re also his only real weapons in the cage and aren’t always enough to carry him to victory.

8. Ken Florian (13-5)

Florian is constantly on the cusp of lightweight greatness but hasn’t been able to get over the hump for some reason. He’s an underrated striker with solid wrestling and the ability to attack from any position on the ground. “KenFlo” has only been finished once at 155-pounds, to Penn, while submitting the likes of Clay Guida, Takanori Gomi, and Joe Stevenson, but also struggled in some of his biggest fights including both of his past title-shots (and most recently a bout against Maynard set to establish a top divisional contender).

9. George Sotiropoulos (14-2)

The Aussie is one of the hottest 155-pounders out there at the moment. He’s riding an eight-fight win streak, including convincing performances against Stevenson, Joe Lauzon, and Kurt Pellegrino. He’s also yet to be finished in sixteen bouts. His stand-up is crisp and diverse, while his BJJ is other-worldly at times and always a major threat to prematurely ending an opponent’s evening.

10. Evan Dunham (11-1)

Dunham is a rising star to be sure with a single loss thus far in his career (and a split-decision to Sherk at that). His performances haven’t been mind-blowing in nature but it’s hard to fault him too much when considering who he’s faced since joining the UFC. However, with each in-ring appearance, the diamond that Dunham is becomes more and more apparent. He’s growing from simply being good at everything to great.

11. Tatsuya Kawajiri (26-6-2)

Kawajiri has faced a number of talented lightweights over his years in Japan and, though he hasn’t always come out ahead in terms of result, he’s been a consistent competitor whose wrestling and power have been good enough to earn victory more often than not. His four losses over the past six years came to Melendez, Alvarez, Aoki, and a prime Gomi. Other than that, “Crusher” emerged victorious in all sixteen other bouts during that period minus a draw with Caol Uno in early 2004.

12. Jim Miller (18-2)

If Miller had more high-profile fights under his belt in the UFC I honestly believe he’d be a consensus “Top 10” guy. Miller has quietly racked up seven wins in the UFC with single loss to Maynard at UFC 96. He’s won his last five bouts while beating respectable adversaries like Mac Danzig, Duane Ludwig, and Mark Bocek during the streak. On top of that, the 27-year old New Jersey native has never been finished in his career and his only other loss besides Maynard came to Edgar four years ago.

13. K.J. Noons (9-2)

Though Noons hasn’t necessarily fought any “Top 10” lightweights, he went five full rounds against Five Ounces’ #4 welterweight (the elder Diaz) last October and put enough pepper on his face in their previous match-up to merit a doctor’s stoppage. He’s perhaps the most powerful, boxing-based fighter in this group and has shown improvement in terms of both his wrestling and submission-defense as of late. He’d won six straight prior to the decision loss to Diaz and was not only the first person to TKO Jorge Gurgel, but the last person to finish Yves Edwards (two years ago).

14. Ben Henderson (12-1)

It’s easy to appreciate Henderson’s athleticism and submission-skills, as well as his precision when standing, but unfortunately he’s only fought three times in the last eighteen months against a combination of two opponents (Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone). If he gets by Anthony Pettis at WEC 53, there’s no doubt “Bendo” will continue to climb in the rankings as his UFC career blossoms. However, until fans see him in the Octagon with a few ranked, seasoned veterans it will be hard to determine exactly how far up he can go.

15. Josh Thomson (18-3)

There are a number of worthwhile Mixed Martial Artists as deserving of this spot as Thomson but I picked “The Punk” for a few reasons. He’s 10-1 in his last eleven fights with the only defeat coming to Melendez in their rematch. Within those ten victories is a dominating decision against the afore-mentioned Melendez, as well as a hard-fought win over widely-respected Brazilian (J.Z.) Cavalcante and a few other worthwhile foes like Ludwig, Nam Phan, and Pat Healy. He’s only been finished a single time in his career, and is also a really good wrestler with excellent conditioning and quick, accurate striking. Though he may not get the respect he would if he still fought for Zuffa, he still deserves consideration for what he’s accomplished outside of the Octagon.

Honorable Mentions

Gesias “J.Z.” Cavalcante (15-4-1): The American Top Team representative hasn’t recovered his stride since a slew of injuries sidelined him in 2008-2009, but he’s still an extremely talented individual with significant wins in his career and a full bag of tricks to pull from inside the ring. He’s also never been TKO’d or submitted.
Takanori Gomi (32-6): “The Fireball Kid” is still clinging on to rankings-relevance after being one of, if not the, most exciting lightweights in MMA during his run in PRIDE/Shooto. He’s 3-3 in his last six fights, but looked to have possibly recaptured the same magic bringing him to the forefront of the sport when he knocked Tyson Griffin out this past August.

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Happy Halloween Weekend, and welcome to “Grappling with Issues”, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from Adam Tool and myself on six subjects plucked from the Mixed Martial Arts landscape. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column.

How would you assess the fallout from Eddie Alvarez’s dominating win over Roger Huerta last week at Bellator 33?

Tool: If anything Alvarez’s thorough beat down on Huerta just proved how desperate for real competition Alvarez is right now. Whether that competition comes in the form a showdown with Gilbert Melendez or a potential entrance into the UFC, the fact is that Bellator’s roster has little to offer Alvarez in the way of fresh challenges. Huerta’s stock has dropped in recent years but we can’t forget that he was right on the cusp of contendership in the UFC at one point. The fight between these two was great from the standpoint of Bellator building up their lightweight champion, but now that their two biggest lightweight stars have fought what’s left? Is there any reason to think that Pat Curran will fare any better when he gets his shot at Alvarez?

Conlan: I see Tool’s point about the scarceness of challenges left for the lightweight champ within Bellator, though in fairness it needs to be pointed out that Curran did beat Huerta and should be a more competitive foe for Alvarez from that standpoint alone. Someone with Curran’s improving skill-set should never be discounted, especially in a sport like MMA where upsets are far from rare.

Since Adam’s response focused mostly on Alvarez I’m going to concentrate on Huerta’s future in the wake of suffering the first TKO loss of his career. I think the bout’s timing may have influenced the result to a certain extent, as I suspect Huerta’s confidence wasn’t where it would have been had he been coming off a few wins before facing Alvarez rather than losses in three of his last four fights. On top of that, he dealt with the publicity surrounding his “street fight” earlier this year which could have affected his training or mentality entering arguably the biggest scrap of his career. Preparing for an opponent like Alvarez – even a notch below the Philadelphian – requires 100% of a Mixed Martial Artist’s focus and being unable to give in wholly to the process essentially equates to a loss no matter who you may be.

To that point, Huerta’s physique also looked a bit smaller than usual at the event. I won’t speculate on whether it was an attempt to increase his speed or the result of less time in the gym, but it got me thinking how interesting it would be to see the “El Matador” give featherweight a shot. Assuming his body can handle the cut without it negatively affecting his performance in the ring, dropping down a division would be a good way to hit “refresh” on his career, as well as a move creating new match-ups for Huerta and possibly providing a few size-related competitive advantages he hasn’t necessarily had thus far in his career at 155-pounds.

Did Diego Sanchez’s showing against Paulo Thiago restore your faith in him as a welterweight or would you prefer to see him drop back down to 155-pounds?

Tool: His performance on Saturday restored my faith in Diego Sanchez period. I haven’t seen the Diego of old since the Clay Guida fight so it was pretty nice to see that old aggression back in action from the former “Nightmare.” He didn’t look nearly as doughy on Saturday as he did against John Hathaway, so perhaps he would be better off sticking around at 170 lbs.

Regardless of the division he competes in there are still plenty of compelling match-ups for Sanchez. If he stays at welterweight I think a bout with Martin Kampmann could easily steal whatever show it’s on. If he goes back down to lightweight I think the bout that would make the most sense is a rematch with Kenny Florian, as both fighters are completely different from the two guys that competed for the first “Ultimate Fighter” championship.

Conlan: Somewhere in between I suppose. I can’t say with conviction his showing against Thiago made me feel Sanchez can beat the UFC’s top welterweights, but the thought of him fighting Kampmann, Dan Hardy, or Nate Diaz has my salivary glands firing up so I’m also not sure I want to see him head back to 155-pounds just yet.

Thiago has stated in the past he’s unable to train full-time due to his job in Brazilian law enforcement and aside from knocking out Josh Koscheck hasn’t been overwhelmingly impressive. He’s lost three of his last five fights and, aside from a respectable submission of Mike Swick, has gone the distance in four of them. It was a highly entertaining fight, and Sanchez’s win was a nice notch the ol’ the ring-post, but didn’t restore the confidence I had in him 3-4 years ago during the height of his run at 170-pounds (as a finishing performance might have).

Similarly to the division he’s currently residing in, I think there are still a few match-ups ripe with potential for entertainment at lightweight including Florian, George Sotiropoulos, and the new crop of WEC 155-pounders heading to the Octagon in the near future (Ben Henderson, Jamie Varner, Donald Cerrone, etc.). I feel Sanchez gave up on the weight-class after enduring the strain on his body only to be pummeled for the first time in his career courtesy of BJ Penn. Leaving it behind on such a sour note after looking sharp against Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson almost feels like quitting to me and I think it would be a shame of “Nightmare” never gives it a go again.

If given the choice, who would you most like to see Fedor Emelianenko fight out of the
following group – Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, or Randy Couture?

Tool: I’ve got to go with Velasquez, especially now that he’s got the strongest claim of anyone to be the top heavyweight in the world. Even if you don’t agree with that sentiment you can’t deny that Velasquez is now firmly positioned as the best heavyweight in the UFC, and that’s a spot I expect him to keep for the foreseeable future. Emelianenko doesn’t have the aura of invincibility around him anymore so the fight may not be as appealing as it was four months ago, but at this point we still have to believe that Fedor is one of the top fighters in the world and as such he would be a stiff challenge for anybody in the heavyweight division.

Conlan: I’m going to take my “writer/associate editor” cap off for a second and pick Couture as simply a fan of MMA. Though Velasquez and Lesnar are more-relevant opponents for Emelianenko where rankings are concerned, “The Natural” is a legend in the sport – perhaps its biggest star from a mainstream perspective – whose remaining fights are numbered due to age/opportunity. On the flipside, Lesnar and Velasquez should both be active for the foreseeable future and as such have more time ahead of them than Couture to see a bout against Emelianenko eventually materialize.

Lesnar/Velasquez are merely “top five” heavyweights, while pairing Couture and Fedor creates a legitimate “dream fight” people have been wanting to see for as long as the sport has existed in its current form. As silly as it may sound to bypass on having the highest ranked fighters face each other, MMA is as much about entertainment/storylines as it is two individuals throwing down in a ring, and in that regard it would be foolish to pass on the possibility of finally bringing Couture vs. Emelianenko to fruition.

Based on his showing this past weekend, do you think Jake Shields should have to win at least one more fight in the UFC before he earns a title shot?

Conlan: If Shields’ contendership was based solely on how he looked against Martin Kampmann then I would support the notion of him having to notch another victory in the Octagon before getting a title-shot. However, his status also stems from having won fourteen consecutive fights prior to UFC 121 including in-ring success against a number of top competitors, and in that regard I have no problem saying he deserves to be “next in line” for a crack at the belt.

As far as the Californian’s lackluster performance in Anaheim, fans should keep in mind Kampmann is an excellent grappler who has yet to be submitted in a 21-bout career and wasn’t on any level a good stylistic match-up for the Californian. Additionally, Shields hadn’t fought at 170-pounds for a significant period of time before entering the ring against “The Hitman” last weekend and even admitted he seriously struggled with the weight-cut after competing at 185 for the past two years. Both factors definitely played into Shields’ forgettable debut and need to be taken into account when questioning whether or not he deserves to face the winner of Georges St. Pierre’s upcoming title-defense against Koscheck.

Tool: I’ve been pretty high on Shields for awhile now, but even I have to admit that he hasn’t sold me on a potential bout with GSP just yet. Brendhan is spot on with his assessment of Shields’ worthiness as a result of his record, and I echoed his points when we had a similar discussion last week. Of course, that was before his fight with Kampmann. Let’s face it: Shields did not impress the UFC faithful on Saturday night. The hardcore fan base can certainly make the case for Shields being one of the best welterweights in the world, but any fan seeing him for the first time at UFC 121 would most likely laugh at the idea of a match-up with St. Pierre. Personally I feel a second trip inside the octagon against a highly-regarded opponent would give Shields another chance to make a first impression, and that could be very beneficial to the UFC and their bottom line.

Brendan Schaub has already called out Frank Mir for his next fight. If you were UFC Matchmaker Joe Silva, would you book that bout?

Conlan: I’d definitely put the two together if I was Silva for a few reasons, and, other than the possibility of Mir serving as a replacement for the injured Shane Carwin at UFC 125 against Roy Nelson, I can’t think of any reason why the match-up shouldn’t be made.

When comparing the two heavyweights there’s a nice contrast to their in-ring approaches which is often favorable when it comes to the production of an entertaining fight. Schaub has heavy-hands and likes to bang, while Mir is known for his grappling but also isn’t afraid to put his recently-improved striking on display either. It would be interesting to see whether Mir would focus 100% on assessing the depth of Schaub’s ground-game or opt to test his stand-up instead.

Also, I think the pairing also makes sense from an “internal rankings” standpoint. Schaub has won his last three outings and dismantled former title-contender Gabriel Gonzaga in the biggest fight of his young career. On the flipside, Mir is 2-2 in his last four and needs to build off his victory over Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic at UFC 119 (if for no other reason to help dull fans’ memory of the fourteen forgettable minutes prior to the knockout-knee). They are each in a place career-wise where a win over the other would provide a significant rub where contendership is concerned while a potential loss wouldn’t be overly damaging.

Tool: I agree that this booking makes sense, but of course this question was posed before the news came out that Shane Carwin was out of his UFC 125 fight with Nelson. Now I’m firmly of the belief that Mir makes the most possible sense as a replacement opponent for “Big Country.” It’s a great stylistic match-up between two guys who made their name with their jiu-jitsu skills, but have since evolved into heavy-handed strikers. That fight also has far greater title implications that a potential Mir/Schaub showdown, especially given the fact that both Mir and Nelson recently came up short in #1 contender bouts.

Now that he’s extended his win streak to five, how far away is Matt Hamill from competing for UFC gold?

Conlan: Hamill’s win-streak is akin to one of those computer-produced paintings a person has to thoroughly examine in order to see the actual image contained within. During the run he’s knocked off Reese Andy (who hasn’t fought since), Mark Munoz (now a middleweight), Jon Jones (by disqualification after getting absolutely decimated in the previous four minutes), Keith Jardine (lost six of his last seven fights), and most-recently Tito Ortiz at UFC 121 (who hasn’t won or been anywhere near active in three years). Looking beyond the Jones DQ and at the actual individuals he legitimately beat, Hamill has certainly been impressive but doesn’t have victories over opponents who anyone could argue are in peak position divisionally or skills-wise.

All that being said, I think Hamill will need to win at least three more times before working his way into the title picture. Dana White has already stated “The Hammer” will be paired up against a “Top 10” adversary in his next bout so that’s a good start. The UFC’s 205-pound pool is extremely deep and Hamill cannot cement himself as leader of the pack without first taking out a few of his highly-ranked peers.

Tool: It’s true that Hamill’s win-streak does have at least one heavy asterisk attached to it, but other than the Jones fight he’s pretty much dominated anyone he’s faced in the last few years. He’s still improving every time we see him, and at this rate he could very well be the next great wrestler/striker hybrid. He’s going to need at least a few wins against the upper level guys in the division before he’s going to be considered for contendership, but it’s certainly in the UFC’s best interests to try and get him into that position.

I would never advocate the usage of Hamill’s disability to try and gain more exposure for his accomplishments, but at the same time we cannot deny that his condition is part of who he is. He’s overcome some tremendous obstacles to get where he is, and that sort of thing can really capture public interest. Last night was the premiere of Hamill, a feature film based on his life, and if the movie has any success at all with critics then it’s only bound to bring more attention to this particular member of the UFC’s roster.

“We are thrilled to be bringing this World Class event to Philadelphia and to the Worlds,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “On Oct. 21 we have a PPV-worthy super fight between Eddie Alvarez and Roger Huerta, a Welterweight World Title Fight between two of the sport’s most exciting undefeated phenoms, and a host of local fighters on display. This event will be a party for anyone who calls themselves an MMA fan.

Headlining the card will be a highly anticipated lightweight Super-Fight battle between Philadelphia native and Bellator Lightweight Champion Alvarez and former UFC star Huerta in one of the most anticipated MMA fights of the year.

In a fight worthy of main event billing, Bellator Season 2 Welterweight champ Ben “Funky” Askren takes on current Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman “Cyborg” Good for the Bellator World Welterweight Championship. Askren, a 2008 U.S. Olympic wrestler, looks to continue his prolific rise through the MMA ranks and capture his first title while Good hopes to secure hist first title defense.

Another former Olympian brings his talents to Philadelphia as Rick Hawn makes his Bellator debut against LeVon “Da Maynman” Maynard in welterweight action. A 2004 Judo Olympian, the decorated Judoka, Hawn, enters the fight with a perfect 8-0 record, including six knockout victories.

In Featherweight action, Bellator veteran and World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Wilson Reis battles dangerous WEC alum Deividas Taurosevicius. Reis, a Philadelphia transplant by way of Brazil, is looking for revenge after suffering a rare loss at Bellator 18. Reis lost by decision to countryman Patricio “Pitbull” Freire in the Season 2 semifinals and looks to get back on track against the experienced submission artist Taurosevicius. A jiu-jitsu instructor at three of Philadelphia’s most prominent MMA schools (Daddis Fight Camps, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United, and Tri-State), Reis is expected to have a large contingent of supporters on hand.

Philadelphia native and Jiu-Jitsu black belt Tim Carpenter fights IFL veteran and New York native Jamal “The Suit” Patterson in light heavyweight action. Carpenter trains at Balance Studios in Philadelphia under the renowned Migliarese brothers and owns a perfect 5-0 professional record.

Former WKA Muay Thai Champion Tuan Pham, who operates his own MMA academy in Center City Philadelphia called Fight Firm, takes on amateur wrestling standout Nick Cottone, who makes his training home at Daddis Fight Camps in downtown Philadelphia.

Two lightweights face off when Eduard Guedes out of Kurt Pellegrino’s MMA Academy in New Jersey puts his undefeated 5-0 record on the line against UFC veteran and New Jersey native Chris “The Story” Liguori.

Local action continues with another of Pellegrino’s top students, Lester Caslow, as he takes on Kenny “The Tooth Fairy” Foster, representing Team Bombsquad in Ithaca, New York. Rounding out the card will be Maryland native Lewis Cassner versus Francis Evans, a local Philadelphia promoter/fighter who is turning pro following an impressive 6-1 amateur career.

“Bellator 33: Alvarez vs. Huerta” is set to take place from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 21st.

For explosive Bellator champion Alvarez, momentum is on his side, as he enters the super-fight with an impressive five-fight win streak on the line where the longtime knockout artist has finished all of his most recent victims by submission. In his most recent trip to the cage, Alvarez put rugged UFC veteran Josh “The Dentist” Neer to sleep with a nasty rear-naked choke during Bellator 17 in Boston on May 6th of this year.

Alvarez is admittedly excited about the opportunity to compete in front of his hometown fans in Philly for the first time in the top lightweight’s career that currently spans 22 professional fights, from Japan to Boston, against many of the toughest 155 lb fighters in the business.

“Roger Huerta, Philadelphia, October 21st… this is a dream fight for me,” said Alvarez. “I’ve never even lost a fight here in the United States, so I’m definitely not going to start in my hometown of Philadelphia with all of my people there. That’s not going to happen. Not a chance.

“I’m not going to be happy unless I completely control and dominate Roger in this fight. It’s important for me to go in there and dominate this fight and prove that I’m one of the best lightweights in the world.”

In the case of Huerta, the electrifying 27 year old lightweight is eager to return to the cage after suffering a defeat in his previous outing when Pat Curran shocked the MMA world and defeated “El Matador” by unanimous decision in the semifinal lightweight tournament at Bellator 17.

Although fighting in Alvarez’ backyard of Philadelphia, Huerta expects for the advantage to ultimately lie in his favor, stating, “The cheers or jeers won’t affect me one way or the other. The pressure is on him fighting in his hometown. He’s going to bring the best out of me. The best. It’s going to be scary.

“This is a fight that I’ve always wanted. It’s a dream come true. It’s going to be a grueling fight for the both of us. It’s going to be a potential fight of the year. I’m going in there expecting a war, and I’m going in there trying to finish Eddie.”

Intending to send a direct message to his critics and fans alike in his upcoming performance against Huerta, Alvarez would be the first to admit that he’s had the former Sports Illustrated cover athlete in his sites since the moment Huerta signed his contract with Bellator.

“I don’t care where you fought in the past, but if you come to my promotion and you have a big name and you’re obviously marketable, and the promotion signs you, I’m going to have an issue with that,” said Alvarez. “If I don’t feel threatened by that, then I’m an idiot. I feel threatened by someone like Roger trying to move into my house and I’m going to do everything I can to protect what’s mine and get him out of there. I want to keep all eyes on me. I’m going to go out there and do my job and get him out of there.”

Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney was admittedly excited to bring this incredible Superfight to Philadelphia, stating, “The Alvarez-Huerta fight should be one of the most electrifying bouts in the history of Bellator Fighting Championships, and to be able to host it in one of the greatest fights towns on earth, Philadelphia is spectacular. . I’ve said it before, I believe Eddie Alvarez is the best Lightweight Mixed Martial Artist in the world today and for Roger to have the courage to face him speaks volumes about his confidence and character. The fans are really in for a treat with not only a great fight card, but also a fantastic host venue in The Liacouras Center.”

The Liacouras Center is located on the campus of Temple University, in the heart of Philadelphia, and is home to the Temple Owl’s Basketball and Volleyball, as well as Professional Indoor Soccer. The Liacouras Center was opened in 1997, and has a capacity of just over 10,000.

Cavalvante’s management was able to confirm the bout earlier today through a report on MMANews.com.

DREAM 11 will take place on September 23 from Tokyo, Japan.

Alvarez is on a three fight win streak where he won Bellator’s first lightweight tournament after suffering a disappointing first round submission loss to Shinya Aoki on New Years Eve of 2008. Prior to the loss to Aoki he had racked up five straight wins over the likes of Andre “Dida” Amade, Joachim Hansen and Tatsuya Kawajiri.

Cavalcante will be looking to bounce back from back to back decision losses at the hands of Tatsuya Kawajiri at DREAM 9, and Shinya Aoki at DREAM 2. He has put together victories over Bart Palaszewski, Caol Uno, Nam Phan and Vitor Ribeiro during the course of his impressive career as a lightweight.

Update: Alvarez’s manager, Monte Cox, is now quoted as saying the bout is unlikely to take place.

Slated to compete are the two odds-on favorites to reach the finals of the eight-man, single-elimination tourney, Eddie Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the news after speaking with sources close to the fight on Thursday.

Alvarez, 16-2, advanced into the second round following his first round victory over Greg Loughran in Hollywood, Fla. during Bellator’s first-ever show on April 3. Alvarez walked away victorious after securing a guillotine choke submission at 2:44 of round 1.

Masvidal, 17-3, fought on the same show and needed just one minute and 19 seconds to TKO Nick Agallar due to punches. The American Top Team product improved to 3-0 in his last three fights with the win.

Alvarez will meet Eric Reynolds in Dayton while Masvidal is set to take on Toby Imada. Imada submitted Alonzo Martinez with a rear naked choke at 3:26 of round 1 on April 3 while Reynolds advanced after upsetting Thomas Schulte on April 10 in Uncasville, Calif. following a TKO a 4:17 of round 1.

Former EliteXC heavyweight Dave Herman is also scheduled to compete on the card in a non-tournament bout vs. Josh Barnes.

During an exclusive video interview, Alvarez talked about the health status of his knee, his thoughts on his upcoming debut for the Bellator Fighting Championships on April 3, whether he has any interest in competing for Strikeforce, and his response to recent negative comments made towards him by follow Bellator lightweight tournament entrant Jorge Masvidal.

Set to be featured during the promotion’s inaugural event are lightweight tournament matches featuring Eddie Alvarez and Jorge Masvidal.

Alvarez, 16-2, a former BodogFIGHT welterweight champion, is slated to compete in a bout contested at 155 pounds against Daniel Morales, 5-1. Meanwhile, Masvidal, a veteran of Bodog, Strikeforce, and Sengoku, will take on jiu-jitsu black belt Diego Garijo.

Also scheduled for the card are three featherweight tournament bouts that will pit former Strikeforce veteran Nick Gonzalez (14-6) vs. Yahir Reyes (12-5), Estevan Payan (6-1) vs. Luis Palomino (9-4), and Joe Soto (4-0) vs. Ben Greer (11-4).

Former EliteXC bantamweight champion Wilson Reis has also been announced for the featherweight tournament, however, his involvement in now uncertain. Reis’ contract was one of 42 deal that were acquired by Strikeforce during its recent acquisition of select assets from ProElite.

Sources have revealed to FiveOuncesOfPain.com that Reis currently has exclusive contracts with both Strikeforce and Bellator and that a remedy of some sort will be in order.

Bellator’s April 3 event will be taped and will then air in a live-to-tape format the next night on ESPN Deportes. Deportes is the Spanish-language outfit of ESPN but sources have also indicated that Bellator is currently looking at potential announcers for an English-language version of its broadcast that would be accessible through the SAP button on a television set.

“Bellator Fighting Championships, a first of its kind mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, officially announced today the exclusive signing of top-ranked Eddie Alvarez,” a recent press released issued by the promotion stated. “Alvarez will compete in the lightweight (155 lb.) division of Bellator’s tournament style events which premiere on ESPN Deportes in April 2009.”

However, Alvarez’s involvement with Bellator’s lightweight tournament might not yet be a done deal. FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned that Alvarez’s contract with ProElite-owned EliteXC is one of 41 agreements acquired by Strikeforce during this week’s acquisition of select assets.

Despite the uncertainty, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney insisted Alavrez has an exclusive deal with his promotion when contacted by Five Ounces of Pain for comment on Friday.

“Eddie’s one of the best lightweights in MMA and our exclusive long-term promotional agreement with him will see him fighting in our tournament this April on ESPN Deportes and in a collection of Bellator events in the coming years,” Rebney stated in an e-mail. “Our company’s relationship with Monte (Cox) is very strong and we will be working directly with Monte to maximize Eddie’s overall positioning in the sport.”

Upon being contact by Five Ounces of Pain, Cox confirmed that Alvarez’s ProElite contract had been acquired by Strikeforce but supported Rebney’s position and reaffirmed his client’s planned involvement with Bellator’s lightweight tournament.

According to Cox, Alvarez’s primary promotional rights belong to Adrenaline MMA and that contracts with companies such as EliteXC and DREAM are superseded by Alvarez’s pact with Cox. However, the long-time manager and promoter added that a meeting with Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker could be neccessary to clarify any confusion over Alvarez’s contractual committments.

Alvarez was forced to tap at 1:32 of round 1 when he was caught in a heel hook by Aoki. Speculation has run rampant that Alvarez suffered a severe injury as a result of the submission. Some of the speculation was fueled by FEG/DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara informing the media after the bout that Alvarez had sustained a an injury that was expected to sideline him for several months.

When contacted by FiveOuncesOfPain.com for comment, Alvarez’s manager, Monte Cox, indicated that X-rays conducted in Japan did not reveal a fracture and that Alvarez is expected to undergo additional testing to determine the extent of any injury he may have suffered.

Cox added that as of now, Alvarez is still scheduled to face Naoyuki Kotani (17-8-4) on January 23 during an Extreme Challenge event at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, the status show’s main event could change pending results of additional medical testing on Alvarez. If Alvarez is diagnosed with ligament damage of any kind, it would make it unlikely that he’d be able to compete as scheduled.

And after traveling half-way around the world to challenge Aoki, Alvarez (13-2) will be fighting much closer to his native Philadelphia when he squares off against Naoyuki Kotani (17-8-4) at the Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Joining Alvarez on the card will be two of his teammates from the Philadelphia Fight Factory with both former BodogFIGHT women’s champion Tara LaRosa and former Division I wrestler Zach Makovsky scheduled to compete as well.

LaRosa’s opponent has yet to be determined while Makovsky is set to John Hosman, an 11-4-1 fighter who trains out of Colin Oyama’s Team Oyama.

Makovsky, 4-1, is one of the top fighters competing at 135 pounds not currently in the WEC.  His most recent fight took place on the undercard of EliteXC’s “Primetime” event on May 31 in Newark, N.J. Facing American Top Team’s Andre Soares, Makovsky was declared the victor by unanimous decision.

Also scheduled to compete on the card is current EliteXC bantamweight (140 pound) champion Wilson Reis. Reis, 5-0, is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil but has called Philadelphia home for the past four years. His homecoming fight is scheduled to take place against Josh Ferguson, 6-1.

Former EliteXC competitor and Pros vs. Joes season one winner Charlie Brenneman is also set for action against Edward O’Daniel.

Reports surfaced earlier this month that the Alvarez vs. Aoki bout was under consideration to be for the vacant WAMMA lightweight title. FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned Monday morning through a press release issued by WAMMA that the organization will be recognizing the Alvarez vs. Aoki winner as its lightweight champion.

The release goes on to state that a belt will not be presented to the winner immediately after the conclusion of the contest. Instead, the winner will receive the championship belt during a ceremony to be held at a later date.

Alvarez was a two-time All-American high school wrestler at Northeast Catholic High School in Philadelphia and has gone 15-1 since becoming a professional mixed martial artist. A former BodogFIGHT welterweight champion, Alvarez made the decision to drop to the lightweight division earlier this year.

Starting with a 165 pound catchweight bout during a Jan. 25 ShoXC event in Atlantic City, N.J., the 24-year old father of two has gone 4-0 as a lightweight. The undefeated streak includes a 3-0 run during DREAM’s lightweight Grand Prix that only ended after Alvarez was unable to receive medical clearance to compete in the finals.

Aoki is 18-3 and widely regarded as one of the top submission fighters in MMA with black belts in both Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The 25-year old Japan native has earned his number three WAMMA lightweight ranking with notable victories over current DREAM lightweight champion Joachim Hansen; Gesias “JZ Calvan” Calvancante; former two-time UFC lightweight title challenger Caol Uno; and former Shooto middleweight champion Akira Kikuchi.

Alvarez and Aoki had been scheduled to compete during the finals of the DREAM lightweight Grand Prix but Hansen, and injury reserve, replaced the injured Alvarez. Hansen became the DREAM lightweight champion after TKO’ing Aoki in the first round even though he had been eliminated earlier in the tournament by Alvarez.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com President and Publisher Sam Caplan serves as the chair for WAMMA’s ranking committee.

Sources indicated that talks are only in their preliminary stages and that K-1 and DREAM officials have not made a final decision regarding whether Alvarez vs. Aoki will have WAMMA’s title at stake.

WAMMA bills itself as a “multifaceted, fan and fighter-forward organization dedicated to promoting the integrity, legitimacy and longevity of Mixed Martial Arts.” The promotion conducts a monthly rankings poll, of which FiveOuncesOfPain.com President and Publisher Sam Caplan serves as the chair of.

According to the organization’s November rankings, Aoki is ranked second in the poll with Alvarez slotted immediately behind him in the three spot. Both Aoki and Alvarez are ranked behind current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, who is scheduled to challenge Georges St. Pierre for the UFC welterweight title on Jan. 31 at UFC 94. UFC President Dana White commented earlier this week that should Penn win, his next fight would be a welterweight title defense against number one title contender Thiago Alves.

If WAMMA sanctions the Alvarez vs. Aoki matchup, it would add a second active title to the organization, with Fedor Emelianenko currently recognized as its heavyweight champion. Emelianenko is scheduled to defend the WAMMA heavyweight title on Jan. 24 in Anaheim, California during Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning.”

A lightweight bout featuring top five lightweights Eddie Alvarez and Shinya Aoki is now set to take place on New Year’s Eve in Japan at FEG’s “Dynamaite!!” event, according to a new report by Sherdog.

Sherdog, citing Alvarez’s manager, Monte Cox, as the primary source for the report, stated that verbal agreements from both Aoki and Alvarez have been secured.

Aoki and Alvarez were originally scheduled to meet during the finals of DREAM’s lightweight Grand Prix that was held over the course of the last year. However, despite going 3-0 in the tournament, Alvarez was forced to withdraw from the finals due to facial injuries sustained in a semifinal TKO victory over Tatsuya Kawajiri.

After defeating Caol Uno in the semifinals, Aoki was matched up against Joachim Hansen, who had been eliminated from the Grand Prix following a second round loss to Alvarez but was given a second chance after winning a tournament reserve bout.

In addition to Alvarez vs. Aoki, “Dynamite!!,” which is scheduled to emanate from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, the show will also feature Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kiyoshi Tamura and Hansen, the promotion’s lightweight champion, taking on Gesias “JZ Calvan” Calvancante in a non-title encounter.

Published reports out of Japan also indicate that the combined DREAM and K-1 show will feature appearances by Olympic Judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii and Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson.

Sherdog is also reporting that Alvarez is still scheduled to compete in the States on January 23 for Cox’s Extreme Challenge promotion in Atlantic City, N.J.

“The contract is signed and I got my advance,” he is quoted as telling the site.

Bellator will be conducting a 12-week fight series for television partner ESPN Deportes starting in April with tournaments scheduled to crown new champions in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight divisions.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com reported on Monday that EliteXC bantamweight champion Wilson Reis is expected to sign with the promotion as one of its top stars.

Before debuting for Bellator in April, Alvarez is slated to fight for his manager, Monte Cox, during an Extreme Challenge event on Jan. 23 in Atlantic City, N.J. at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino against an unnamed opponent.

The Philadelphia native 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.