Eddie Alvarez-Michael Chandler Rubber Match Booked for May 17 on Pay-Per-View

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney announced the lightweight title rubber match during Friday night’s Bellator 110 broadcast on Spike TV, though a venue was not announced for the promotion’s pay-per-view debut.

Alvarez and Chandler first met in November 2011, with Chandler scoring a fourth-round submission victory to lift the title from the favored champion in a “Fight of the Year” nominee. Alvarez then posted stoppage wins over Shinya Aoki and Patricky Freire before facing Chandler for a second time last year, avenging his defeat to the previously unbeaten Missourian on Nov.19 in another classic confrontation.

After winning the Bellator title, Chandler defended his title twice successfully, dominating Rick Hawn and David Rickels before coming up short on the judges’ scorecards in his rematch with the 30-year-old Alvarez. Chandler owns 10 of his 12 career wins via stoppage, earning five knockouts and five submissions to his credit over more than four years of competition.