Sherdog.com’s 2013 Story of the Year

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5. Eddie Alvarez vs. Bellator

Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez was nearly nominated twice for “Fight of the Year” -- once for his sublime rematch with Michael Chandler and once for the legal battle with Bellator that preceded it.

Alvarez fulfilled his existing contract with the Viacom-owned promotion when he knocked out Patricky Freire to close out 2012. The former champion then sought out an offer from the UFC after Bellator waived its exclusive negotiating period. MMA’s largest promoter offered Alvarez an eight-fight deal, and Bellator subsequently exercised its contractual matching rights.

The lightweight did not believe Bellator’s deal was a true match, however, and made known his intention to sign with the UFC. The lawyers were then called, and Bellator fired the first shot, alleging breach of contract and tortious interference. Alvarez responded with a countersuit and sought an injunction that would allow him to compete at UFC 159 in April -- a motion that was denied by a U.S. district judge in January.

Alvarez’s counsel allegedly argued that Bellator could not match the UFC’s pay-per-view structure or the exposure that the lightweight would receive with UFC broadcast partner Fox, and the disputed dragged into the summer after Alvarez tweeted the following in May: “We will be going to trial, and there will be no settlement. I want to see this thing through and let the truth come out in the end.”

Alvarez indeed appeared poised to fight Bellator to final bell, even selling off his assets to prepare for the legal showdown.

“I recently sold an investment property in order to wait this trial thing out,” Alvarez wrote. “I didn’t want to sell it. It was supposed to be a retirement thing, but that’s how s--- goes. I am taking the funds from the sale of the home and moving to Florida with my family. My goal is to train with the best team and coaches in the world, beat this court case, become No. 1 in the world and keep it. On the good side, I made a s---load of cash from selling my property, so me and the fam should be straight for a while. I am in no hurry. This has always been a marathon for me, not a sprint. Time will only make me more dangerous when I fight. I promise. I’ll be training as if I have a fight, no matter what the circumstances.”

Three months later, however, Alvarez mended fences with the promotion, and the lightweight found himself back in the Bellator cage opposite Chandler -- the man who had taken his belt nearly two years prior. The most publicized contract dispute in recent memory could not have come to a more thrilling conclusion, as Alvarez and Chandler battered each other for another 25 minutes before Alvarez regained his crown in a split verdict at Bellator 106.