Joel Álvarez is unhappy with the way things have been going in the last few years of his UFC career.
The Spanish lightweight has yet to step into the Octagon in 2024, and this comes on the heels of a period of much inactivity, as he has only fought three times since 2021. Alvarez (20-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is frustrated staying on the sidelines while is healthy, as things beyond its control have been kept out of the cage.
“Well, I was supposed to fight on March 2nd in Saudi Arabia, but the event was completely moved to Las Vegas and I had to renew my visa and in the process, there wasn’t enough time,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “The UFC submitted the process, but I couldn’t get the visa in time. Then they gave us a fight for April and I still didn’t get my visa.
“It’s just a renovation, and I even lived there (in the USA), and I still can’t renew it. I do not understand why. It’s not like it’s my first time or anything. I lived there. It’s just bureaucracy. ”
Alvarez last fought in July 2023, when he submitted veteran Marc Diakiese. This victory allowed him to recover from a defeat to the main candidate, Armar Tsarukyan.
Alvarez’s five UFC wins have all come via TKO or submission. He feels like he’s among the best fighters in his category and is frustrated at not being able to show that.
“It’s a bad time for me,” Alvarez said. “You want to fight and be active, and I was left with these two fights and preparations, both just a few weeks away from the fight date.
“You work hard, you try hard to lose weight and, in the end, it doesn’t happen. This is a bit demoralizing and takes away motivation. I hope that happens this year because this is the third camp I’ve done and I’m in great shape.”
Alvarez returns to the cage on August 3 at a sold-out UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi. He faces Brazilian Elves Brener. “El Fenomeno” hopes that this return will spark some activity in his career, just like in his early days at the company.
“I want to have two or three fights a year,” Alvarez said. “I would love to be active in the UFC, like I was when I joined. From 2020 to 2021, I had four fights. I was very active and yes, then things slowed down for me in the last few years. I would love to get that rhythm back and have two or three fights a year and stay active.”
