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By FCF Staff Bellator Fighting Championships has confirmed today that the lightweight tilt between accomplished veterans Eddie Alvarez and Roger Huerta, will take place October 21st, at the promotion’s debut event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The city’s Liacouras Center will be the host venue for Bellator 33. (pictured right: Alvarez (R))
Alvarez (20-2), who’s Bellator lightweight championship will not be up for grabs on October 21st, heads into his bout with Huerta having won 5 straight. In his last outing at Bellator 17 in May, the lightweight choked out UFC veteran Josh Neer with a second round rear-naked-choke. Alvarez has not lost since New Year’s Eve 2008, when he was submitted by reigning Dream champion Shinya Aoki.
"Roger Huerta, Philadelphia, October 21st... this is a dream fight for me,” Alvarez was quoted saying in a press release from the promotion. “I've never even lost a fight here in the United States, so I'm definitely not going to start in my hometown of Philadelphia with all of my people there. That's not going to happen. Not a chance.
“I'm not going to be happy unless I completely control and dominate Roger in this fight. It's important for me to go in there and dominate this fight and prove that I'm one of the best lightweights in the world.”
Huerta (21-4-1) has gone 1-1 since the former Octagon competitor signed with Bellator. In the opening round of the promotion’s second season lightweight tourney, Huerta tapped out Chad Hinton with a third round kneebar; however, in May, he lost by Unanimous Decision to Pat Curran and was eliminated from the competition. Curran went on to win the tournament to earn a title fight with Alvarez, but was forced to postpone the bout due to injury.
“This is a fight that I've always wanted,” said Huerta. “It's a dream come true. It's going to be a gruelling fight for the both of us. It's going to be a potential fight of the year. I'm going in there expecting a war, and I'm going in there trying to finish Eddie.”
Huerta is 2-3 in his last five fights, with his other win coming over Clay Guida, and additional losses stemming from bouts with UFC contenders Gray Maynard and Kenny Florian.
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| Huerta (R) Will Fight Alvarez Oct. 21st |
