Joel Alvarez’s Future in the UFC
Joel Alvarez, a 22-3 fighter, has confirmed his plans to move up to the welterweight division in the UFC. This decision comes after his victory over Drakkar Klose at UFC Tampa last December. Alvarez has stated that he has one more fight left at lightweight before making the move.
A Difficult Weight Cut
Alvarez’s reason for moving up to welterweight is to improve his quality of life. Currently, he weighs around 90-91 kilos, which means he has to lose 20 kilos or more to reach the regulatory 70 kilos for lightweight. This significant weight cut takes a toll on his body and affects his time with his daughter.
The weight cut is very hard. It punishes the body a lot and takes away a lot of time from being with my daughter.
Comparison to Ilia Topuria
To put Alvarez’s weight cut into perspective, it is even more significant than Ilia Topuria’s. Topuria, also known as the ‘Matador,’ drops from 80-82 kilos outside of camp to 66 kilos at featherweight. Alvarez’s weight cut is a major factor in his decision to move up to welterweight.
Alvarez’s next fight, likely to take place in April, will be at a high level against another top-15 fighter in the division. After that, he plans to make the move to welterweight, leaving behind the lightweight division led by Makhachev.