Fans are worried that MMA veteran Sam Alvey could get seriously hurt in his next fight.
The 24-fight UFC veteran was released from the promotion following a five-year winless run in 2022.
Sam Alvey went 8-0-1 in the Octagon before making the transition to Karate Combat in September 2023.
Today, he’s the league’s heavyweight champion after picking up three consecutive knockout victories.
Sam Alvey’s next opponent announced
Robelis Despaigne scored a savage eight-second KO to continue his heavyweight title charge at Karate Combat 53 on Friday.
However, it has now been announced that Alvey’s next title challenger will be a promotional newcomer.
‘Smilin’ will face off against kickboxing phenom Tyrone Spong at Karate Combat 54 in Dubai on May 2.
The 39-year-old went 14-0 in boxing before being named as Oleksandr Usyk‘s first heavyweight opponent – but their 2019 fight was called off at the last minute due to an adverse drug test finding.
Spong hasn’t fought in his first sport since infamously breaking his leg during a fight in 2014.
In his most recent outing, he slumped to 2-1 as an MMA fighter as he lost against Sergei Kharitonov.
The Russian heavyweight picked up a second sound TKO win when they fought in January 2022.
Fans express concern for Sam Alvey’s safety
The announcement that Alvey will face Spong has been met by widespread concern from fight fans.
Many of them took to X – formerly known as Twitter – to slam Karate Combat for booking the matchup.
One fan wrote: “This could be the first death in Karate Combat. While another asked: “This is real?!”
“Someone hates Sam Alvey. Insane matchmaking,” a third social media user insisted.
“Slurping from a straw Sam Alvey after this fight,” this pessimistic fan predicted.
“Dude, someone talk Alvey out of this,” a fifth person pleaded.
“Tyrone Spong vs Sam Alvey is criminal,” another fan fumed.
UFC bantamweight contender Aiemann Zahabi shared his thoughts on the fight after previously watching Spong train with his brother, Firas Zahabi, who Joe Rogan recently named as his favorite MMA coach.
“I’ve trained with Spong,” Aiemann Zahabi tweeted. “Straight up killer. Watched Firas hold pads for him, one of the most powerful strikers I’ve ever seen in my life.”