NEWS

Kamaru Usman shows support for Eddie Alvarez, calls referee’s decision of disqualification ‘terrible’

by
Ayush Harsh
April 8, 2021

Kamarus Usman poses with his belt at the Hulu theatre.

Kamaru Usman showed his support for Eddie after an apparently unfair decision by the referee. The long-awaited return of ‘American Knuckle Star’ inside the ring ended in a controversy on ONE on TNT fight card. After a 20 month lay-off, the former UFC champ took on Iuri Lapicus, a recent lightweight title challenger.

If Eddie would have won the fight, it could have propelled him into a shot at gold in the Asian based production. However, Alvarez will go back home empty-handed and with a disqualification loss in his stats. The punches were deemed illegal after Iuri wasn’t able to continue and so the referee raised a red card.

After the match, Eddie was vocal about what he thinks happened. He said, “You see me take my head and I start shoving his head towards my punch. You’ll see it in the tape. When the ref warns me, I take my own head and I push Iuri’s to the side of the punch that it was coming. On top of that, I felt like as long as I’m hitting the ear at some point that it’s legal.”

Kamaru Usman showed his support for the champ and recently tweeted on Twitter about the fight. He said, “That was a terrible dq. Eddie Alvarez is still the man and he was showing that.”

That was a terrible dq. Eddie Alvarez is still the man and he was showing that 👊🏿 https://t.co/dR8xuzy4Pn

— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) April 8, 2021

Kamaru Usman VS Jorge Masvidal, a trilogy fight on-board?

Jorge Masvidal is confident that he and Kamaru Usman will face each other again very soon. Dropping a unanimous decision on very short notice, it seems like ‘Gamebred’ will get his chance at a redemption fight. Jorge will have to beat Kamaru at the upcoming UFC 261 to get his shot at arranging the third match.

In a recent virtual interview session, fans asked Jorge about the fight. He said, “When I win the rematch we definitely will go for the trilogy. I will not go down in history 1-1 with this individual. It’s just not going to happen.”

Masvidal has not competed since suffering a loss at the hands of Kamaru. In that manner, as the reigning champion is coming off an impressive victory, it shrouds the fight in complete mystery.