Alvarez eyes main roster spot after back-to-back wins

Team Lakay’s Carlos “Limitless” Alvarez is making a name for himself as one of the best young talents not only on Team Lakay but in the entirety of the Philippines.

The 24-year-old showed that much when he submitted Sadegh “Kurdish Warrior” Ghasemi in their featherweight MMA matchup at ONE Friday Fights 25 inside Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 14.

Alvarez locked in a D’Arce choke in the second round of their lopsided contest to secure his second finish in as many fights in the weekly series.

“Our game plan in that fight was to strike and then take him down. In the early goings of the first round, I really wanted to execute the game plan, put pressure on him, and get my confidence going,” he said.

In that fight, Alvarez was relentless, taking his opponent down at will while actively hunting for submissions from the get-go.

“He was able to defend my first takedown attempt; that’s why I transitioned to a body lock, and that’s where I got him down on the mat. I got him in side control, then I mounted him. I went for an armbar, but he defended it well,” he said.

“The moment we got back on our feet, I caught him in a standing guillotine. I felt like it was locked tight, but he was tough. I even got him in a triangle, but he just didn’t give up.

“In the second round, though, he made a mistake when he connected on a kick, but I got him down. The moment we were in side control, coach Mark told me to set up my favorite move. There, I set up my D’Arce choke. I got it in, tightened it, and got the win.

What’s even more impressive is how he managed his last-minute replacement. After all, Ghasemi had to step in for Reza Saedi, who couldn’t make it to Thailand in time for the fight.

Regardless of who was in front of him, there was no way Alvarez was going back to the Philippines empty-handed.

“When they told me that my opponent couldn’t fly out, I just thought to myself, whoever they give me, I’ll face. I don’t want to waste my training and all the effort to fly out to Thailand for nothing,” he said.

With two finishes in just as many bouts, Alvarez hopes that this will serve as his ticket to ONE Championship’s global events. After all, he wants nothing more than a chance to showcase his skills to a wider audience.

“I’ve finished both of my opponents so far in ONE Friday Fights, so I’m hoping to get that main roster contract for my next fight,” he said.

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Team Lakay’s Alvarez submits foe in 2 rounds

The post Alvarez eyes main roster spot after back-to-back wins first appeared on FASTBREAK.com.ph.

Source: Fast Break