UFC's Joel Alvarez frustrated by recent career inactivity: 'I'd love to have that rhythm back'

Joel Alvarez explains the reason why he hasn't been able to be active in the UFC in recent years.

Joel Alvarez is dissatisfied with how things have played out in recent years in his UFC career.

The Spanish lightweight has yet to set foot in the octagon in 2024, and this comes on the heels of a very inactive spell, as he’s only fought three times since 2021. Alvarez (20-3 MMA, 5-2 UFC) has been frustrated to sit on the sidelines while healthy, as things beyond his control have kept from out of the cage.

“Well, I was supposed to fight March 2 in Saudi Arabia, but that event got entirely moved to Las Vegas, and I had to renew my visa, and in the process, there wasn’t enough time,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “UFC submitted the process, but I wasn’t able to get my visa in time. Then they gave us a fight for April and I still wasn’t able to get my visa.

“It’s just a renovation, and I was even living there (in the U.S.), and I still can’t get it renewed. I don’t understand why. It’s not like it’s my first time or anything like that. I used to live there. It’s just bureaucracy. ”

Alvarez last fought in July 2023 when he submitted veteran Marc Diakiese. That victory allowed him to bounce back from a loss to top contender Armar Tsarukyan.

Alvarez’s five UFC wins have all come by TKO or submission. He feels he’s among the best fighters in his division and is frustrated that he hasn’t been able to show that.

“It’s a bad time for me,” Alvarez said. “You want to fight and be active, and I was left hanging with those two fights and preparations, both just a few weeks from the fight date.

“You work really hard, you put in a lot of effort in getting your weight low, and in the end, they don’t happen. That demoralizes you a bit and takes away motivation. I hope that this year it comes through because this is the third camp I do, and I’m in great shape.”

Alvarez returns to the cage on Aug. 3 at a stacked UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi. He takes on Brazil’s Elves Brener. “El Fenomeno” hopes this return sparks some activity in his career, just like in his early days in the company.

“I want to do two or three fights a year,” Alvarez said. “I’d love to be active in the UFC, how I was when I first got in. From 2020 to 2021, I did four fights. I was very active and yeah, then things slowed down for me in the last years. I’d love to have that rhythm back and be doing two or three fights a year and remain active.”