He’s just become the hottest free agent in the whole of MMA.

Edddie Alvarez’s first-round knockout victory over Patricky “Pitbull” Freire at the end of his Bellator contract on Friday, leaves the 28-year-old, alongside Gilbert Melendez, the most successful lightweight not fighting in the UFC.

And already Dana White, president of the company, has expressed an interest in signing him.

"We're definitely interested in him and we have been for a while," White said during the post-fight press conference at UFC 153 on Saturday night (H/T MMA Fighting).

"Eddie Alvarez's contract is up," White added. "Obviously we're in there, we're going to talk to him soon. I don't know what the stipulations on his contract are, whether we're going to talk him now or whether there's more time, but, you know, we'll dive in and we'll see what happens."

If the fighter does end up among the UFC's lightweight roster, he will be entering probably the most stacked division in the promotion.

But Alvarez is Bellator’s biggest star, with the possible exception of King Mo Lawal, and considering the harsh words that White has exchanged with Bellator’s Bjoyrn Rebney recently, it would be a big coup for the UFC if they could pry him away from their rival.

Alvarez is certainly a compelling fighter to watch. In 27 matches only four of his fights have ever gone into the third round, and that killer instinct was on display against Freire, where he put an exclamation point on his talent. He finished him with a head kick and punches in less than five minutes.

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