After defeating Rashad Evans in Mexico City, UFC middleweight Sam Alvey has his sights set on fighting Vitor Belfort.
It may not have been a scintillating bout, but Sam Alvey’s split decision over former UFC champion Rashad Evans at UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno marked his fifth victory in his last six fights. Alvey was critical of his performance in a post-fight interview on Fox Sports 1.
“I’m incredibly disappointed in myself with only a split decision,” Alvey said (via MMA Fighting). “I wanted to make a dominant statement. I’m a finisher and it’s been too many fights now since I’ve finished someone. I’ve gotta figure it out.”
Alvey also added that he believed he gave Evans, whom he considers one of his idols, “too much respect” inside the Octagon, and the end result was his third consecutive decision win.
With the Evans fight now behind him, who does the Team Quest fighter want lined up for his next contest? According to “Smile’n” Sam, he wants Vitor Belfort.
“I’m here to correct those mistakes,” Alvey said. “Rashad Evans started it. Vitor, you’re next. I’ll fight you anywhere you want — Brazil, I’ll fight you in Pittsburgh. I want to fight in Japan, but maybe you don’t want to. I’ll fight you in Canada. You name a spot, I’ll be there my friend.”
The storyline here is that both Evans and Belfort have beaten his coach, the legendary Dan Henderson, so this is all part of what he described as a “2017 vengeance tour.” At least at middleweight, he not only as Belfort to conquer, but also Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida (whose suspension ends later this year), and current champion Michael Bisping. If he’s ambitious and wants to head to 205, he can take on Daniel Cormier.
Belfort has since responded to Alvey’s call-out, and he seems up for the challenge.
“The Phenom” is coming off a unanimous decision over Nate Marquardt at UFC 212, giving him his first victory since knocking out Henderson in November 2015. If Belfort wants the fight to happen in Las Vegas, then it’s most likely he’s looking at UFC 216 on October 7th.