FILE PHOTO — Eddie Alvarez. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Eddie Alvarez’ third fight in ONE Championship ended in controversy after he got disqualified 1:02 into his lightweight bout against Iuri Lapicus in ONE on TNT I Thursday at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Referee Justin Brown disqualified Alvarez after landing several shots to the back of Lapicus’ head, a move deemed illegal in the promotion, as the two fighters got tangled up on the ground.
Alvarez (30-8) got top position and proceeded to land a couple of punches initially to the side of Lapicus’ head with Brown verbally telling the former UFC lightweight champion to “watch the back of the head.”
Should Eddie Alvarez have been DQ'd for this? 🧐 @Ealvarezfight @tntdrama #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #ONEonTNT pic.twitter.com/pdNYqaOfeJ
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 8, 2021
Lapicus (15-1) tried to turn his head to the right to avoid more of Alvarez’s shots but that only brought more punishment as he fell to the mat.
Brown admonished Alvarez after stopping the fight and gave the Underground King a red card, signifying a disqualification in ONE Championship.
We're all as heartbroken as Eddie 💔 @Ealvarezfight #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship #ONEonTNT pic.twitter.com/5RxzAuONRK
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) April 8, 2021
“Iuri was turning his head the other way and the referee warned me, he said to me ‘back of the head, Eddie,’” said Alvarez post-fight. “So 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.”
“The referee’s here, whatever call he makes, that’s the call. I apologize. I hope Iuri is totally fine cause this game is so dangerous. All I care about is that everybody in here sincerely is safe and can go home to their family when they’re done. I’m praying for Iuri right now.”
Alvarez’s lone win in the promotion was a submission against former champion Eduard Folayang in August 2019.