“I'd smash him to pieces” - Eddie Alvarez reacts to Martin Nguyen call out

Eddie Alvarez has responded to Martin Nguyen’s recent call out.

Former ONE featherweight world champion Nguyen recently suggested that a megafight between himself and Alvarez at featherweight would be massive on one of ONE Championship’s highly anticipated Prime Video cards.

At the joint ONE Championship and Amazon press conference in July, Alvarez caught up with the promotion and shared his reaction.

“I can't make featherweight, and I feel like if I ever fought Martin, I'd smash him to pieces. I understand why he wants to fight.”

Alvarez means no disrespect towards the 33-year-old former two-division ONE world champion and current No.3-ranked featherweight fighter. However, he’s shooting straight from the hip and believes ‘The Situ-Asian’ is not on the same level.

“I respect that he wants that fight. If I ever have bigger names or I can get a larger audience in front of me, I'm going to vie for a fight like that. But I just think we're on different levels. I respect Martin. I respect what he did in his division at featherweight, but I just don't think it would be a competitive matchup.”

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What’s next for Eddie Alvarez?

Eddie Alvarez was also in Los Angeles to discuss his future with ONE Championship. Since joining the promotion in 2019, ‘The Underground King’ has gone 1-2, with one no contest. He was last seen in a unanimous decision loss to eventual ONE lightweight world champion Ok Rae Yoon at ONE on TNT 4 more than a year ago.

Both Alvarez and Nguyen aren’t lined up at the moment for any upcoming fight, but if Alvarez is right and he can’t make featherweight, there’s always the option of Nguyen moving up to lightweight to face the American MMA superstar.

Nguyen also previously held the ONE lightweight world title when he became the promotion’s first two-division belt holder after knocking out Filipino icon Eduard Folayang in 2017.

‘The Underground King’ could also potentially welcome Croatian phenom Roberto Soldic in his first fight in ONE Championship.

ONE yesterday on social media announced that Soldic had signed with the promotion. The news was also confirmed in a press conference held in Croatia with ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong as well as Soldic himself in attendance.

Soldic was arguably the most sought-after free agent in MMA. A showdown with Alvarez would be absolutely massive.