Toby Imada ready to sweep Bellator tournament against Eddie Alvarez on June 19

Veteran lightweight Toby Imada is often referred to as the best fighter with the worst record in MMA and one of the most underrated talents in the sport of mixed martial arts.

The Los Angeles-based fighter gained worldwide attention through Bellator with his unpredictable and flawless execution of an inverted triangle submission against ATT powerhouse Jorge Masvidal at Bellator V in Dayton, Ohio in early May.

Despite the accolades Imada received for his show stopping submission, he has still yet to achieve his ultimate goal of capturing a World Championship title.

On June 19 at Bellator XII, Imada will step back into the Bellator cage at the Seminole Hard Rock Live -– inside the same cage where he had previously ousted Masvidal and Alonzo Martinez from the lightweight tournament.

This time his opponent will be top world ranked Lightweight Eddie Alvarez. Imada and Alvarez will headline the season 1 finale of Bellator’s Lightweight tournament with the winner being crowned the first ever Bellator Lightweight World Champion, receiving a total of $175,000.

Bellator XII will be co-headlined by the Bellator Middleweight Championship bout, both of which will broadcast in primetime on Saturday, June 20th exclusively on ESPN Deportes.

"I think it’s a great matchup," said Imada. "I’m actually looking forward to fighting Eddie Alvarez more than my fight against Jorge Masvidal."

With a 22-12 record, the 30 year old veteran has been fighting professionally since 1998, 5 years longer than Alvarez. With over 30 fights under his belt, Imada will look to rally his experience when facing the Philadelphia Fight Factory star on June 19th.

Imada will enter the fight touting an eight-bout win streak spanning back to January 27, 2007. Of his those 8 wins, 6 have come by way of submission and 5 occurred within the 1st round.

"He’s not really considered a counter striker –- really I just think of him as another guy that has a lot going for him – I’m looking forward to June 19th and beating him," said Imada regarding his upcoming title bout versus Eddie Alvarez.

Imada has proven his advanced grappling skills and demonstrated his world class submission artistry with a technique that earned accolades from the likes of ESPN and USA Today. His inverted triangle conquered the viral video world dwarfing all other sports videos with number of unique views, but for Toby it all means nothing if he is unable to fulfill his dream of becoming World Champion.

When Imada enters the cage on June 19th at Bellator XII in Hollywood, Florida, he will not be driven by the prospect of the generous $100,000 championship purse or to recreate a viral highlight hit, but rather he will be fighting to one man inside the cage to become Bellator Lightweight World Champion.

"I’m not thinking about the money, I’m not thinking about the fame, I’m not thinking about all the trials. I’m really thinking about the opponent and what it means to face him, and trying to beat him," said Imada.