Eddie Alvarez Taking Bellator Battle to Trial, “There Will Be No Settlement”

Lightweight free-agent Eddie Alvarez prepares to go to trial in his legal dispute with Bellator MMA and says there will be no settlement.

Alvarez’ contract with Bellator MMA concluded in October following his knockout win over Patricky Freire at Bellator 76. The organization elected to waive its exclusive negotiating period, allowing Alvarez to talk with UFC officials. Alvarez received an offer from the UFC for an eight-fight deal. Bellator exercised its right to match the offer.

Alvarez, however, claimed the Bellator deal did not truly match what the UFC presented, and a legal battle ensured.

Bellator filed a suit citing breach of contract and tortious interference, also known as intentional interference with contractual relations. Alvarez filed a counter claim seeking an injunction that would have allowed him to compete on the UFC 159 fight card. The injunction was denied in January and the two parties began closed door negotiations.

Apparently those negotiations have stalled.

“We will be going to trial and there will be no settlement,” Alvarez tweeted on Thursday. “I want to see this thing through and let the truth come out in the end.”

The 29-year-old sold an investment property in Philadelphia to secure the financial stability to see the legal proceedings through to the end and plans to move to Florida to continue his training.

“I recently just sold an investment property in order to wait this Trial thing out,” he wrote. “I am taking the funds from the sale of the home and moving to Florida with me and my family.”

Alvarez is expected to join the Blackzilians camp in Boca Raton, Fla., upon arrival in the sunshine state.

“My goal is to move to Florida, train with the best team and coaches in the World, beat this court case, become #1 in the world and keep it,” wrote the former Bellator lightweight titleholder.

Alvarez is prepared to wait as long as it takes for a resolution, and believes the time off could be a blessing in disguise.

“I am in no hurry,” he wrote. “This has always been a marathon for me not a sprint and time will only make me more dangerous when I fight, I promise.”

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