LOS ANGELES – Patricky Freire wants to see Eddie Alvarez back in the Bellator.
The Bellator lightweight champion hopes the promotion re-signs Alvarez, one of its former champions as well as one of the biggest names it’s ever produced. Freire (23-10 MMA, 14-8 BMMA) wants to see Alvarez back (30-8) not to boost the 155-pound roster, but for personal reasons.
“Eddie Alvarez is a good idea because I have a little problem to resolve against him,” Freire told MMA Junkie at a Bellator 286 media day. “He beat me once a long time go, and now I want to beat him.”
Freire and Alvarez crossed paths in October 2012. In the Bellator 76 main event, Alvarez knocked out Freire in the first round. Freire thinks a rematch would be much different today.
“It was (my) second loss in Bellator, but I think I can beat him easy.”
Freire will defend his belt for the first time when he takes on Usman Nurmagomedov on Nov. 18 at Bellator 288. Meanwhile, Alvarez recently terminated his contract with ONE Championship and is now a free agent, looking for a new home.