Joel Álvarez is already a name to take into account within the UFC lightweight division, for many the most difficult and competitive category in the largest mixed martial arts league in the world. At the top are names like Islam Makhachev or Dustin Poirier, undoubtedly active legends of this sport. But the Asturian already rests in the top 15 and that means that his future is, to say the least, promising. During his stay in Madrid, El Fenómeno speaks with this newspaper and assures that, at least, he has one more ‘shot’ left at 155 pounds, that is, at lightweight.
«It’s hard to go down to 155 again. As I said, I have one last bullet there. People ask me to stay at the weight, they are very excited about everything. Others tell me, a little for health and everything, ‘go up to 170 because there is more life apart from this’. The next shot will be again at 155, that’s what I have in mind, and after that, God will say», explains the Asturian on ABC.
The reality is that, being in a privileged position in the lightweight ranking, where high-profile names await, his contract renewal could mean an increase in the money he receives per fight. But being a guy of 1.90 meters, it is very difficult to reach 70 kilos on the scale.
«If they want me to fight at 155 it has to be very spaced out in time. Every six months. I have to have the long trim, with a long diet, good camp, and then a good body rest. For example, now when I come back from this weight rebound, your whole body destabilizes… it’s not real at all. You have to put everything back in its place and then make camp again. Two fights a year is not bad, but it would be little action,” says Joel Álvarez.
Of course, he who has always recognized that he is a “UFC worker” could generate very large income at lightweight, if he attacked fights like those in the top 5 of the division. «If it were at an economic level, and the contract for being at that top, was much larger, So yes I would stay at light weight. I remember what Sean O’Malley (former bantamweight champion) once said, that until his contract was improved he would not fight the best. For what they paid him, he didn’t care about fighting with number 150 in the ranking,” recalls El Fenómeno. «I see it a bit the same, in the end you have the hunger for glory, but that is not going to feed my daughter or my family. We are happy, we are going to try to go for this 155 fight now and if things continue well, who knows,” says the Asturian.
Regarding his future, which he has already announced in this newspaper that points to May as the month of return, he would prefer to stay in Europe or the Middle East, but, probably, the UFC’s plans will take him in other directions. «The next fight, although I like Abu Dhabi or Spain more, will almost certainly be in the United States. I would like to face Dan Hooker or Charles OliveiraI have always relied a lot on their fighting style, we are finishers. I like fun fights and not, for example, with Islam, who are going to win and you know that you are not going to enjoy the fight,” concludes Joel Álvarez.
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