The UFC continues to work on a potential lightweight rematch between Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier to headline a July 28 event in Calgary, Alberta, but hurdles remain.
ESPN first reported the UFC's interest in the matchup last month. Alvarez and Poirier fought one year ago, at UFC 211. The back-and-forth battle was ruled a no contest in the second round, after Alvarez landed a pair of accidental illegal knees.
UFC president Dana White met with Alvarez last weekend in Philadelphia, Alvarez's hometown, to discuss the fighter's career. Alvarez, 34, has one fight left on his UFC contract and is interested in negotiating a potential extension.
In a social media post on Thursday, Alvarez suggested the two sides had reached some form of a resolution and that the Poirier fight was on.
"See you in Calgary," Alvarez wrote in a post that tagged Poirier's account. "Best of luck my friend."
A representative for Poirier (23-5), however, told ESPN he has not agreed to the fight.
"The fight is not on -- 1,000 percent," said Robert Roveta, Poirier's manager.
Poirier, 29, initially told the UFC he would accept but set a deadline on social media for Alvarez to sign the contract. According to Roveta, Poirier has a busy summer planned and was only willing to wait for Alvarez's signature for so long.
Poirier has also accused Alvarez of not accepting the rematch in the past, and he was unhappy with how the first meeting played out. Poirier stated in several interviews he was not paid his win money at UFC 211, even though it wasn't his fault an illegal knee landed.
"Dustin got illegally kneed in the face, and he didn't get his win money," Roveta said. "Instead of booking a rematch immediately, they rewarded Eddie with [coaching The Ultimate Fighter reality show]. The UFC comes calling for this main event and Dustin still has lingering injuries, paid appearances lined up and a family vacation. We said, 'OK, fine, but we're not interested in the rematch if it's not happening. You've got a firm deadline to get this done.' That deadline passed. At what point do you stop the disrespect to Dustin Poirier?"
If the fight does eventually come together, it potentially holds major implications in the lightweight division.
Poirier is riding a three-fight win streak and has called for a lightweight title shot. A former champion, Alvarez (29-5) surrendered his title to Conor McGregor in a TKO loss in November 2016, and is 1-0 since.