Chatri Sityodtong explains why ONE Championship agreed to part ways with Eddie Alvarez: “We weren’t getting what we wanted”

Chatri Sityodtong has opened up on ONE Championship and Eddie Alvarez agreeing to part ways.

Last week it was revealed that Alvarez and ONE Championship mutually agreed to part ways and since then, the former Bellator and UFC lightweight champ said it was no bad blood on the exit. Sityodtong confirms that but admits the promotion didn’t get what they wanted from Alvarez and vice versa.

“In every relationship in life both sides have to win,” Sityodtong told SCMP on a post-event media call about Eddie Alvarez. And if both sides are not winning, then it makes sense to part ways and I really am grateful for Eddie for his time here. And he’s grateful as well and again, I have a good relationship with him. But I think both of us were caught by surprise with the pandemic. It obviously delayed the US launch of ONE into the US by at least two years. So I think Eddie was – and we were – hoping that Eddie could help us in the US with the launch and whatnot.”

Along with the two sides not getting what they wanted, Sityodtong also knows Eddie Alvarez only has a few years left in his fighting career so he didn’t want to keep him hostage as he respected Alvarez and everything he did for ONE Championship.

“I’d say Eddie realizes his clock is ticking,” Chatri Sityodtong added about Eddie Alvarez. “I think he’s like 39 years old, right? Yeah, so I think it’s amicable. It was just we both agreed that we weren’t getting what we wanted, and he wasn’t getting what he wanted. And so, why continue the relationship? It’s a business relationship. Obviously, I have nothing but love and respect for Eddie. He’s an incredible athlete, a legend of the sport. He is an awesome human being. Again, nothing but good things to say about Eddie.”

Eddie Alvarez fought four times in ONE Championship going 1-2 and one No Contest.

What do you make of Chatri Sityodtong’s comments about releasing Eddie Alvarez?