EDDIE ALVAREZ was overcome with emotion following his disqualification loss to Iuri Lapicus in his long-awaited return to the cage.
The former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion locked horns with the Moldovan early on Thursday morning in the co-main event of ONE on TNT 1 in Singapore.
But The Underground King's third outing in the Asian promotion lasted a mere 62 seconds as he was disqualified for punching Lapicus in the back of the head.
After absorbing a series of strikes while being mounted, Lapicus appeared to turn his face away from the incoming punches before the referee called a halt to proceedings.
Alvarez was hit by a wave of emotion as he made his way backstage and dejectedly laid across a guard rail before being comforted by a ONE official.
The 37-year-old rewatched the fight moments later and was far from happy with the referee's call.
He said: "I went back to my room and I was able to watch the clip of the fight and see everything and it was a bad call on the referee’s side.
“The American media is in uproar right now and so are the American fans. I’m going to respectfully ask them to look back at the video and reverse that call.
GRAND NATIONAL: GET £150 IN FREE BETS FOR FESTIVAL AT AINTREE
“All that matters is Iuri’s safety. That’s it right now. That he’s going to be OK. When I go back, I’m in the cage, so emotions run high.
"The referee, people make bad decisions when emotions run high. I think it was a bad call. I’m mixed emotions right now.”
MMA legend Alvarez hopes ONE will overturn the result, adding: “I just want to make sure that they correct this.
"It’s not right. What happened, it’s not right.
“After looking at the tape and after seeing the outpouring of the media that’s basically saying something went wrong in there today on the judging side, I’ve just got mixed emotions about everything.
“I don’t see how it’s not overturned. I don’t discredit anyone based on what happens inside that cage.
"Referee, judging, all that. It’s high emotions and you have to make decisions based on a split second and I think the replay and after everybody goes back and looks will see everything was done righteously. I won fair and square.
"I’m not trying to anger anyone or climb up any trees. I won tonight. I won. I just hope that they go back and look at it and reverse the decision.
"I’ve made decisions in my past and I’ll be a man and step up and say that it was wrong. But tonight, I won."
Source: Read Full Article
