Eddie Alvarez shuts down any talk of retirement after being disqualified at ONE on TNT 1

ONE Championship lightweight Eddie Alvarez shut down any potential retirement talks after losing to Iuri Lapicus via DQ at ONE on TNT 1.

Alvarez joined ONE Championship in 2018 after a successful run in the Octagon that saw him win the UFC lightweight title. Since joining ONE, however, Alvarez has not achieved the success that most people thought he would. He lost his promotional debut in an upset when he was knocked out by the underrated power punch Timofey Nastyukhin, bounced back with a submission win over Eduard Folayang, and then suffered the DQ loss to Lapicus when the referee deemed his punches illegal strikes to the back of the head. All told, Alvarez is 1-2 in ONE on paper, and at age 37, some are starting to mention retirement.

Alvarez, however, has shut down any potential talks of retirement. While he might not be the same championship-level fighter that he was in the UFC and Bellator, he still believes that he has plenty left in the tank. Speaking to reporters following the DQ loss to Lapicus, Alvarez suggested that the media needs to stop asking him about retirement and his age.

Eddie on retirement talk:

"You guys are fascinated about my age. I’m not. I started the sport when I was 19. I’m two decades in and I’m learning new stuff every day, I still love it, I’m still infatuated with it. I wish people would stop asking me about retirement and my age." pic.twitter.com/bHgyKMrCbv

— Andrew Whitelaw (@ASTJWhitelaw) April 8, 2021

Eddie on retirement talk: “You guys are fascinated about my age. I’m not. I started the sport when I was 19. I’m two decades in and I’m learning new stuff every day, I still love it, I’m still infatuated with it. I wish people would stop asking me about retirement and my age.” (h/t Andrew Whitelaw)

Other referees may have not called the fight a DQ for Alvarez and had he won the fight via TKO, talks of retirement would be crazy. But with a 1-2 record in the promotion, there are going to be those who question Alvarez’s current fighting level, though he is still confident.

What do you think is next for Eddie Alvarez after getting DQed at ONE on TNT 1?