(PRESS RELEASE) -- Eddie Alvarez is just one win away from capturing the Bellator Lightweight World Championship. With less than one week remaining until the season ending Bellator XII event at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, FL, the lightweight contender is preparing for the fight of his life. Alvarez (17-2) will take on Toby Imada (22-12) for a championship purse of $175,000 and the right to hold the first ever Bellator Lightweight World Championship title.

“This will be my best performance to date, I plan on going out and displaying every act of MMA, to show the viewers that don’t know what MMA is and don’t quite understand the sport…I want to display that Bellator fighting is here to stay and we’re going to put on exciting shows,” said Alvarez.

The 155 lb striker will take on Toby Imada in the headlining bout on June 19th in front of a packed house to close out the inaugural Bellator tournament season. The match up comes just weeks after both Alvarez and Imada respectively demolished their opponents at Bellator V in Dayton, OH. Alvarez managed to defeat Eric Reynolds via 3rd round rear naked choke while Imada unleashed the inverted triangle choke upon the stunned Jorge Masvidal to secure his title shot. The Philadelphia fight factory star will look to take home the first ever Bellator Fighting Championships Lightweight World Championship title in the same arena where his Bellator career began just three months earlier.

“I’m very self motivated, I’m very confident and I believe in my abilities to perform at a high level all the time,” said Alvarez.

It will take a very high level of performance from Alvarez when up against Imada on June 19th. His 30-year-old veteran opponent is perhaps best known for his submission of the year highlight victory over the heavily favor Jorge Masvidal. The tremendously athletic win is a sign that Imada wants the title more than anything and will stop short of nothing to achieve that honor. In his previous tournament victories Alvarez has been able to pace himself and control his opponents, ultimately choosing the exact moment that he wanted to end the fight and has effectively carried out each finish on command. Alvarez will headline the Lightweight World Championship at Bellator XII on June 19th in Hollywood FL. The fight will broadcast in primetime Saturday June 20th on ESPN Deportes.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that come June 19th that I’ll have my title and will continue to be a champion of Bellator,” said Alvarez.