Spanish finisher Joel Alvarez made an emphatic statement in his welterweight debut, cruising to his first unanimous decision victory over veteran Vicente Luque at UFC Rio on Saturday night . The 32-year-old “El Fenomeno” showcased the benefits of moving up from lightweight, controlling the action across all three rounds at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro and proving that his transition to 170 pounds was not only necessary but potentially career-defining. Expand Tweet

Joel Alvarez Dominates in Welterweight Debut

Alvarez entered the bout as a heavy -535 favorite and justified those odds with a comprehensive performance against the Brazilian veteran. Fighting with the improved energy and conditioning that comes from no longer cutting extreme weight, Alvarez outpointed Luque 30-26 acr

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