After a 4-0-1 run outside the UFC that has seen him capture the Karate Combat heavyweight belt, Sam Alvey is “Smilin” once again. But will that smile last through his next bout against kickboxing killer Tyron Spong?
According to Karate Combat, Alvey and Spong are set to fight at the promotion’s Dubai event on May 2nd.
Spong holds an insane 107-7-1 record in kickboxing and has faced a who’s who of the biggest names in the sport including Gokhan Saki, Jerome Le Banner, Ray Sefo, Alistair Overeem, Melvin Manhoef, Peter Aerts, and Remy Bonjasky. In 2015 he switched to boxing and is 14-0 under sweet science rules.
A foray into MMA in 2022 saw him lose via TKO to Sergei Kharitonov, but now Spong returns to the ruleset that established him as a combat sports titan to see if he can take Sam Alvey’s belt.
“Smilin” Sam is best known to MMA fans as the guy who skidded out of the UFC on a nine-fight winless streak. But while he hasn’t changed his ways much — he still shows up all roly poly to fights and clinches too much — he’s managed to win three fights in Karate Combat, taking the heavyweight belt in 2023 and defending it once.
The only negative blip on his record was a fight that saw Antonio Arroyo KO him with a headbutt. That would be ruled a No Contest and Alvey would go on to win the rematch. But can Alvey survive an onslaught from the mighty Tyrone Spong? Fans on X (formerly Twitter) don’t think so.
Was announced at the last event.
Bas accidentally spoiled it earlier on commentary, it was funny.
Insane fight.
LOL Fucking Rutten Rotten
Insane that Sam thinks he will survive
Yea his style doesn’t translate well for a killer like Spong.
Alvey likes to take one, Spong will give him more than that.
For later
When was Spong’s last fight though?
He went 14-0 in boxing over recent years.
2024 was his last fight in Eagle FC against Sergei and pro boxing if I’m not mistaken.
Where he is a WBC and WBO Latino HW champion
Yikes. If he’s been active Sam might be in big trouble
Sleepy time for Sam
RIP Sammy
Soon too be Sam “Not gonna be Smilin” Alvey
I’m very excited to see Spong in Karate Combat. Very tough fight for Sam! Big fan of both fighters and am looking forward to this!
I was super stoked to see Alvey become champion.
spong is gonna fucking dumpster him this fight is crazy.
Or even if not active!
Had no idea Spong was still going. And also had no idea what Sam was doing since leaving the UFC. Crazy to read that he got KO’D from an illegal headbutt in one of his recent bouts.