Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier will finally face each other in the Octagon again.
Sources confirmed with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani that the two lightweight contenders have agreed to a rematch, which will take place at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, on July 28.
On Thursday, Alvarez tweeted a message at Poirier suggesting that the bout was official.
There’s been complications on both sides, with Helwani reporting that the bout had been agreed upon, but not signed, and ESPN reporting that Poirier was holding out, possibly due to Alvarez’s camp not responding in timely fashion to a deadline that Poirier set for May 4. Or even Alvarez stating that he wouldn’t be accepting anymore fights for the UFC unless is contract is negotiated.
ESPN was first to report talks of the rematch.
Alvarez and Poirier had an entertaining clash back at UFC 211 last May; however, the bout came to a disappointing end in the second round, when Alvarez connected with illegal knees to the head of a downed Poirier. The bout was waved off and declared a no-contest.