The ultimate fighting city?

From the street corners of Philadelphia to the stadiums of Japan, Eddie Alvarez made his name by finishing fights. Born in Kensington, trained in Fishtown, and currently living in Northeast Philadelphia, the 26-year-old is a world champion in mixed martial arts.

This hybrid combat sport combines kickboxing, wrestling, and the cage that contains it. Formerly called "cage fighting," it's now better known by its largest promoter, the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Since Pennsylvania sanctioned it in 2009, a burgeoning scene has appeared in Philadelphia, which could become the sport's East Coast hub.

Mixed martial arts' object is to beat an opponent into defenselessness or force him to submit with a joint lock or choke hold. With so many ways to lose, Alvarez has had some close calls.

In his first U.S. fight after a stretch in Japan, Alvarez was dropped by an unexpected punch. The referee rushed in to stop the fight, but Alvarez was already back on his feet. The referee was soon hurrying back to rescue his opponent. "It happens sometimes," Alvarez said of his brief unconsciousness, known as a "flash knockout."

He's faced greater obstacles, at one point running bus trips so his Philly fans could attend his fights in Atlantic City. "It was important to knock the guy out, but it was just as important for people to see me do it," Alvarez recalled. "Things are much easier now."

Other local notables include Albert Alvarez, Eddie's 19-year-old brother, who is trying to fight his way out of his brother's shadow. A little further along in his career is 29-year-old Azunna Anyanwu, a heavyweight who has fought exclusively in Philadelphia. "The hardest part is getting an opponent that won't back out," Anyanwu said, citing a common hurdle in the sport.

These fighters were among some 75 who competed for a spot next to Eddie Alvarez at Bellator Fighting Championships 33, a national promotion visiting the city's Liacouras Center Thursday. The victor was Giedrius Karavackas, 33, whose path to the event is a measure of the local scene's maturity. Unlike the homegrown Eddie Alvarez, Karavackas became a mixed martial arts standout by traveling to Philadelphia from Lithuania. His coach, Robert Navone, left his longtime home and the sport's epicenter, Las Vegas, for the East Coast and "the toughest men in the world."