MMA Fighting reports that Eddie Alvarez and Bellator have come to an agreement to settle their lawsuit. As a result, Alvarez will fight Michael Chandler on Bellator’s first PPV November 2nd.
The settlement between party ends a contentious lawsuit which had both sides arguing over the contractual terms of Alvarez’s Bellator contract and whether or not Bellator had matched the terms of a contract offered by the UFC. It also highlighted the potential contract Alvarez would have received if he had been allowed to leave for the UFC. No terms of the settlement have been announced although it is being rumored that Alvarez will be able to leave Bellator if he loses to Chandler but if he wins he must do the trilogy with Chandler.
Alavarez-Chandler II will co-main event the card with Tito Ortiz facing Rampage Jackson in the main event.
Payout Perspective:
All’s well that ends well. As we had opined previously, it was likely that the two sides would come to an agreement before the November PPV. The fact of the matter is that litigation is a slow process and factual discovery can be a money draining exercise. Also, the fact that Bjorn Rebney or Eddie Alvarez did not have to be deposed was a good result for both sides. No one had to be grilled by attorneys about Bellator business practices regarding matching terms or about Alvarez’s interviews regarding Bellator alleging lying to him.
Both sides needed each other and with the foreshadowing of Alvarez’s manager publicly stating that he hoped the two sides would settle, it became a foregone conclusion that it would happen. With Alvarez-Chandler as a co-main event, Bellator needs to re-sign Ben Askren and have him on the card as well. At this point, Bellator should re-introduce MMA fans to the first Alvarez-Chandler fight. It is widely popular on YouTube and would give these two some much needed (in-ring) publicity leading into their rematch. The settlement, while it may be just a short-term gain, could provide a necessary lift for the organization.
The first fight between these two was amazing & the rematch is worthy of main event status. I am not going to lie, i am interested in the Ortiz vs Rampage fight even if it means nothing and is purely for entertainment purposes but i am more excited about this one and now the PPV is quite interesting.
What I dislike about the Main event is not their record so much of their being washed up. What I dislike more or causes me not to care to see it is the styles of the fighters and their relationship as training partners. When friends fight it almost always sucks unless there is a huge skill gap. Which this doesn’t have. I don’t think QJ has ever put two punches together in his life. Which is what he needs to do because Tito likes to cover up and not move. Its just going to be a predictable slow paced decision.
The huge mistake Bellator is making is not getting both guys some wins. Coming off loses isn’t a big deal. But hwne it is 2 guys evens knows are completely done. It is a big deal. Getting both guys a couple wins and throwing out a story about how they have changed something. To give people reason to think these are not the same washed up bums. Then the winner could move on after this fight to be credible. They haven’t given the gullible fans anything to believe this is a different Rampage or Tito. So the winner will still be a joke. Was Bellator just to cheap to put these guys on Spike in fights? Who are they rushing this PPV? They really could have made a much better run at this if they were more prepared.
I personally think they would sell just as many PPVs with Tito and Rampage on the card fighting cans and have the main event being Chandler/Alverez. Then have Tito/Jackson headline the next PPV when both win their fights.
What a letdown. i really wanted to see how it played out in court. that way we could see how scummy mma promoters are firsthand.
What a letdown.I really wanted to see how it played out in court. that way we could see firsthand just how scummy mma promoters.
are.
firsthand.
Just finishing that thought for you aint.
I agree with BS that it would be just as interesting to have them each fighting cans – but then imagine if the cans beat them, which at this stage in their careers is a possibility. This way you can at least get one more fight out of one of them.
Thanks! i typed the wrong email at another comp and my post got held up. a la king mo newton. Either tito or rampage vs king mo would be a great fight.
Diego,
IF one of them lost. They would be in the same boat they are in now. At least then the can would have a little hype. As long as the can was around the same age I don’t think there would be anything to worry about. I just think there was a lot better ways Bellator can use these guys and go about their first PPV. Now everyone is bitching because Chandler/Alverez isn’t the headliner. That’s all the talk was on Sirius radio. By making the Tito fight the main event over a meaningful title fight. It really hurts the credibility of Bellator and their belts. I just feel this didn’t have to happen if they wasn’t rushing a fight that not a single person wants to really see. Them fighting each other doesn’t add many buys imo more than seeing them fight anyone else.
I think they should have went with the cans and seen how the PPV buys shook out. Instead they are going to kill one of these guys right off the bat. Poor decision making by Bellator. Belts in the UFC have always increased PPV buys and they always have them as the headliners even if the fight isn’t the most popular fight on the card.
Belts don’t guarantee squat. Especially lighterweight belts. names and hype put asses in seats. we will see how tito and rampage do hyping this fight. bellator does have all its eggs in one basket. without tito and rampage icouldn’t see this event cracking 100k buys. even with them i would be pleasantly surprised if it did over 150k. Which is on par with a shitty ufc card.
I would be surprised if it did 100K. But the point is those Bellator champs can never be names if Bellator doesn’t market them as meaningful. The UFC smaller divisions champs don’t sell either. But rhe UFC makes them headliners for a reason. IF you keep making them take a back seat. You are acknowledging they are a lessor product. You have to take a early hit to give them the entire division credibility down the road.
I do understand that Bellator cant take that hit in their first PPV. BUt that is why they shouldn’t have made the mistake of setting up the card the way they did. Anything is better than what they are doing. What they should do is atleast have Eddie and Chandler go on after Tito/QJ. This would at least send the message after the event has been sold. That this title fight is meaningful and the fighters are of higher quality. It would be best for their LW division going forward. Make their promotion look somewhat credible. It would also allow their event to end on a strong exciting match up rather than the slow paced sparring match that is sure to be the QJ/Tito fight. IF they leave that as the final fight and everyone is booing as the card ends at two old gassed fighters who went to decision. They will have no one to blame but themselves for botching this very expensive opportunity.
Tito won’t gas if he is in the shape he was for his fight with rashad. rampage…. yeah he probably will. fans love tito and i don’t see him disappointing. Look for their wrestling to cancel each others out, I’m calling a tko in the second round. god willing tito will get the first round sub.
white makes little guys main events just to prove that he doesn’t care what people think or what common sense dictates.
Tito and rampage is the main event rather than chandler alvarez because bellator is worried people will turn off the event after the rampage fight. they wanna make sure people actually see the alvarez chandler fight. come on bs you are supposed to be smarter than that :-/
Really? Don’t they run their tourney finals after the advertised main event? Nice try digging for any excuse to avoid admitting I am right.
I agree with you Tito doesn’t typically gas. In the traditional since. But what we have seen him do for years now is slow down after the first round and not do anything. The last rounds vs Forrest he quit fighting. This is also why he has been getting finished lately too. He doesn’t push the pace every round like he did in his prime. So if Rampage isn’t in shape. They will stare at each other after the 1st round. Qj needs to let his hands go to take Tito out. Tito has decent striking technique. He just isn’t a natural striker. But Qj wont 1 punch KO him like its 1996. Maybe he sneaks one through when Tito tires. But I doubt it. I see a close boring fight on the feet(like you said Tito likely wont get him down) with Tito landing more kicks and jabs while Qj walks forward pushing a slow pace. Making the decision close.
I hope Tito wins and he has a very good chance with more ways to win. But I feel the psychological advantage goes to QJ. They have trained for a very long time together. Tito is the type that he gets close to people easily while Rampage would murder his family for a buck. Their relation ship will take any killer instinct away from Tito and possibly both of them.
There is a very good chance this fight sucks. IF it does it will kill Bellator’s chances at ever doing another PPV and any potential growth as a promotion in the future.
We are talking about their first ppv not their run of the mill tourney cards. smart guy!
Qj admitted to having a nervous breakdown and ran some lady over. he certainly does not have a mental edge.
Bellator shows its tourney matche’s halfway through because they are marketing them on basic cable to the casual viewer who might not sit through to the end of the program. the ppv is marketed to people who paid good money to see rampage and tito fight and don’t want them tuning out before the alvarez fight.
i usually don’t stoop to your level bs, but you are a dumbass who is unable to think critically
And bellatot often times has no name people fighting at the end, not “main events” such as non title fights that no one wants to see anyway.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Bellator-96-Results-PlaybyPlay-Updates-53247
http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Bellator-97-Results-PlaybyPlay-Updates-54297
see?
although cards like this one http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Bellator-95-Results-Live-PlaybyPlay-Updates-51319 are different. They are sprinkled with talent everywhere, and just need people to tune in for a little while and not necessarily watch the whole card to be counted as a viewer for your precious neilsen rating system
Wow 5 posts in a row just for me! How many leave the UFC event before the Rousey fight? Or any fight when the UFC does this? Not a single person. Keep making up your fantasy senarios lol.
Thanks for proving my point about QJ. You agreed with me and are to dumb to know it.
If you add the text up its a fraction of your rambling would be essays. not sure what you have against rampage…
What makes you think I have anything against Rampage?
Cuz stone cold said so?