Most mixed martial arts (MMA) fans were completely bummed out when Khabib Nurmagomedov was injured and forced to withdraw from his Donald Cerrone fight at UFC 178, scheduled for Sept. 27, 2014 inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Here's something that might cheer them up.
According to a surprising report from Sherdog.com, Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez could soon find his way to "Sin City" as a replacement for "The Eagle," taking on "Cowboy" on the promotion's stacked "Jones vs. Cormier" pay-per-view (PPV) card.
Sources close to the bout who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the matchup had not yet been finalized confirmed the news to Sherdog.com. The bout is contingent on the UFC acquiring Alvarez's services from Bellator. Negotiations are ongoing because Alvarez currently remains under Bellator contract at the time of this writing.
But that could be an uphill battle.
UFC first tried to acquire Alvarez in early 2013, but then-Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney executed his right to match and what followed was a public and messy legal battle, one that kept the talented lightweight out of the cage for over a year. Their dispute was eventually settled and Alvarez (25-3) reclaimed his crown in an epic rematch against 155-pound nemesis Michael Chandler.
A rubber match was planned last May, but Alvarez was forced to withdraw due to a concussion.
Nothing is official at this time and neither side has issued a statement; however, you can expect more on this developing story in the coming weeks, if not days.
Stay tuned.