Former champion Eddie Alvarez won't be fighting for a chance to reclaim his Bellator lightweight title anytime soon.
Bellator chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that Alvarez won't take the final slot in the organization's season-six lightweight tournament.
Instead, he's working to book Alvarez for a rematch with DREAM champion Shinya Aoki.
Alvarez, a season-one tourney winner who held the title for two-and-a-half years, lost the belt to Michael Chandler in November at Bellator 58. The spirited and back-and-forth bout, which proved one of 2011's best, ended in a fourth-round submission victory for new champ and still-undefeated Alvarez.
In Bellator, the only way to earn a title shot is to win a tournament, and ultimately, Rebney and Alvarez decided the timing wasn't right for him to enter the season-six tourney, which kicks off in March.
"Ed won't be part of the next tournament during the March kickoff," Rebney said. "The decision was reached between us that the next right step wouldn't be to jump back in the season-tournament right now."
Instead, Rebney is talking to DREAM officials about doing a cross-promotion fight with Aoki (30-5 MMA, 0-0 BFC), who submitted Alvarez (22-3 MMA, 6-1 BFC) at DREAM "Dynamite!! 2008." Up until the Chandler loss, it was Alvarez's only defeat in a 13-fight span. Rebney talked about the possibility of the fight before that loss. And even after the fight, Rebney said Alvarez vs. Aoki II was still the fight they wanted.
"We're still talking very regularly about the Aoki fight," he said. "We've been talking to DREAM about making it happen, so it could still happen as his next fight."
It's not clear if the fight would take place under the Bellator or DREAM banner, though.
Currently, the season-six lightweight tourney field includes J.J. Ambrose (17-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC), Lloyd Woodard (11-1 MMA, 1-1 BFC), Thiago Michel (9-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC), Patricky "Pitbull" Freire (10-2 MMA, 3-1 BFC), Brent Weedman (18-7-1 MMA, 4-2 BFC), Rick Hawn (11-1 MMA, 3-1 BFC) and Ricardo Tirloni (14-1 MMA, 1-0 BFC).
As for the eighth and final spot?
"We've got a question mark next to that slot," Rebney said. "We've got the list down to three (candidates), and that was from a very big list. ... We'll decide soon."
The tournament, which takes place during the 12-week season, awards the winner a total of $100,000 in pay. He also gets a shot at Chandler's title.
For more on Bellator's upcoming season, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.
MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.» ReplyComments: 58 Related News E. Alvarez Only on Junkie Bellator Video: Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez full fight at Bellator 58Bellator 58 results: Chandler blasts Alvarez in thriller to earn lightweight crownMMAjunkie.com Radio: Eddie Alvarez, Bjorn Rebney, Andre Winner, UFC 139 tix giveawayMMAjunkie.com Radio: Eddie Alvarez, 'King Mo,' Ron Foster, Joey Oddessa, Joey DiazBellator 58's Eddie Alvarez knows Michael Chandler is a real threatWith 'Pitbull' injured, Pat Curran gets Bellator champ Joe Warren in FebruaryChamp Eddie Alvarez meets Michael Chandler at November's Bellator 58Eddie Alvarez injured, Bellator 54 title fight with Michael Chandler delayedAgent: With world ranking in mind, Bellator's Alvarez aiming for Aoki rematch UFC 142's Anthony Johnson out to see if middleweights are the 'real deal'Photo gallery: Champ Jose Aldo the star of today's UFC 142 open workouts in RioRefocused Rousimar Palhares ready to put oddities behind him at UFC 142UFC 142's Ricardo Funch happy to replace fellow lawman, eyes octagon redemptionUFC 141's Volkmann takes media and school board to task, done with Obama callouts'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine' ratings: Event draws 344,000 viewersBrenneman focused on striking for UFC on FX 1, but odometer pays the priceSaturday's UFC 142 bout order includes Arantes vs. Carvalho on FacebookEx-champ Sean Sherk aims for spring UFC return, wants to solidify HOF credentials MMAjunkie.com Radio: Melvin Guillard, Fabricio Camoes, Bjorn Rebney, Jimmy JonesBrian Rogers joins Bellator's season-six middleweight tourneyBellator inks Russian welterweight standout Andrey KoreshkovSaunders, Rickels and Amaya fill Bellator's season-six welterweight tourney fieldLloyd Woodard joins Bellator's season-six lightweight tournamentBryan Baker joins Bellator's season-six welterweight tourneyHeavyweight Jon Madsen signs with Bellator for upcoming tourneyBrian Foster joins Bellator's season-six welterweight tournamentKarl Amoussou joins Bellator's season-six welterweight tournament
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