Eddie Alvarez | photo: Bellator

Philadelphia native Eddie Alvarez has long enjoyed his time as one of Bellator’s brightest shining stars. Last night at Bellator 76, he enjoyed one last win under that designation with his incredible first round knockout of Patricky Pitbull Freire.

Alvarez would get off to a fast start in this contest, the last on his Bellator contract. He would drop the Brazilian with one of his first strong shots and never let up after sensing an opportunity to finish the fight. To his credit, Freire would fire back as well but it was the American who got to close it in the end, landing a phenomenally timed head kick for the finish at the 10 second mark of round one.

With this win Alvarez is now a free agent but that may last for long as none other than UFC president Dana White sent him a congratulatory message with an added, “let’s talk” immediately after the bout.

The UFC has long expressed an interest in Alvarez and let it be known that they’d pursue him when he no longer had any contractual obligations to Bellator so it will be interesting to see how quickly he joins the fold and who he fights first when he gets there.

If and when he moves over to the UFC, Alvarez will come in with an impressive 24-3 record and a two-fight win streak including another impressive victory over Shinya Aoki just a few months ago.

Here are the rest of the quick results from last night.

Bellator 76 – Quick Results

Eddie Alvarez over Patricky “Pitbull” Freire by knockout at 4:54 of round one

Rad Martinez over Nazareno Malegarie by unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 30-27

Wagnney Fabiano over Akop Stepanyan by armbar at 3:24 of round one

Mike Richman over Jeremy Spoon by knockout at 0:22 of round one

Shahbulat Shamhalaev over Cody Bollinger by technical knockout at 4:49 of round one

Jason Fischer over Kyle Prepolec by arm-triangle choke at 3:19 of round three

Chad Laprise over Ainsley Robinson by unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 30-27

Ali Mokdad over Simon Marini by unanimous decision 29-28, 29-28, 29-28

Dom O’Grady over A.J. Matthews by unanimous decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28

Magomedrasul Khasbulaev over Nayeb Hezam by technical knockout at 0:24 of round one