Eddie Alvarez DQ Loss to Iuri Lapicus at One on TNT 1 Overturned to No Contest

pic.twitter.com/rwlIoEMucP

— ShayMyName2 (@imstillshannon) April 8, 2021

Eddie Alvarez’s disqualification loss against Iuri Lapicus at One Championship on TNT 1 has been overturned to a no contest.

According to a report from ESPN, a panel of 15 independent officials, One personnel, judges and referees unanimous determined that a “procedural misstep” occurred when referee Justin Brown issued Alvarez a red card to prompt the disqualification. While the panel confirmed that Alvarez landed multiple illegal blows to the back of Lapicus’ head, it also determined that the former UFC and Bellator champion should have initially received a yellow card, which constitutes a warning.

Due to the ruling, the red card has been rescinded and a yellow card has been issued to Alvarez retroactively. Additionally, the result of the bout has been officially changed. The identity of the members of the One Championship panel was not revealed. One Championship served as its own regulator for the event, which took place in Singapore.

Alvarez quickly took Lapicus to the canvas in their April 7 bout, and as he unloaded with punches, he was warned to avoid landing blows to the back of his opponent’s head. After the initial warning, Lapicus fell to the canvas in pain as Alvarez continued the assault. Brown then intervened and the contest was waved off at the 1:02 mark of Round 1.

“Iuri was turning his head the other way, and the referee warned me… So you see me take my head and I start shoving his head toward my punch,” Alvarez said in a post-fight interview. “On top of that, I felt like as long as it’s the ear, as long as I’m hitting the ear at some point, it’s legal.”

Alvarez will make a quick turnaround when he faces Rae Yoon Ok at One on TNT 4 on April 28.