Eddie Alvarez: Nate Diaz Would Be A Step Backward Right Now

After his close split decision win over Gilbert Melendez in the co-main event of last weekend’s (Sat., June 13, 2015) UFC 188 from Mexico City (highlights here), former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez shot up a whopping five spots in the official rankings.

He also acquired a potential new opponent in the always vocal Nate Diaz, who believes that Melendez definitely beat him in Mexico and signified those thoughts with a vehement ‘F*** you’ in a post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani.

But according to Alvarez, who spoke up during today’s episode of The MMA Hour, he didn’t previously have a problem with Diaz or his brother. Quite the opposite, in fact, as they supposedly shared some brotherly moments in the past. However, that all seemed to change when they arrived in Mexico, where Diaz started his infamous tough-guy act from the get-go:

“When I went there to Mexico, Nate just kind of changed his tune completely. I guess that’s how he is when you’re fighting one of his teammates. I get it. He takes this sh*t personal, he takes it serious. I get it, but I thought it was kind of weird.”

Taking Diaz’ new harsh attitude to heart, Alvarez said he confronted the Stockton native to ask him why he was acting as such, to which Diaz not surprisingly responded with hostility. Alvarez was done playing around, so he responded with the following harsh words:

“F*ck you, too” and added, “If you’re really gonna be like that, then you’re f*cking next.”

And even though he and Melendez had a long-standing beef dating back to 2010 when they were ruling their respective lightweight divisions in Bellator and Strikeforce, Alvarez voiced his opinion that he has nothing personal against ‘El Nino’ and was simply there to pick up a paycheck like any fighter:

“What are you being like that for? It was really stupid. As if I have something personal against Gilbert Melendez. I don’t know Gilbert Melendez. I can never have anything personal against him. I was there for a check, just like every other fighter there. I didn’t pick out Gilbert Melendez. I got a bout agreement in the mail saying I’m fighting Gilbert Melendez next, so I signed it.”

Overall, Alvarez is willing to fight anyone that the UFC matches him up against, including Diaz. Yet if he had his choice, he wouldn’t be facing the skidding, enigmatic fighter, who he rightfully considers a step back at this point in his career:

“He’d honestly be a step backward right now and considering he hasn’t really been active it just wouldn’t make sense,” Alvarez said. “I never pick fights. If I get a bout agreement in the mail, I’ll sign it. I’m just letting you know that.”

Still looking to fight his way to a title shot in the deeply talented UFC 155-pound landscape, Alvarez is far from off base when he suggests that beating Diaz, who has lost three out of his last four in not-so-close fashion, won’t get him there.

It would be a fun fight, but Diaz has also shown a tendency to talk a ton of trash about a high profile competitor to get the fight, only to show up extremely out of shape and get destroyed like he did in his most recent loss to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on FOX 13 last December.

Maybe Diaz wants the fight just to get another paycheck; maybe he wants it because he truly has something personal against the longtime Bellator king.

Then again, Diaz could just be selling us another batch of wolf tickets.