Filipina bet Lara Pearl Alvarez hinted at the possibility of returning to combat sports after her worthwhile experience in ONE Championship's edition of "The Apprentice."
"After filming 'The Apprentice,' I came back to Baguio I immediately trained Team Lakay kasi bumalik ako sa passion ko sa MMA (mixed martial arts) at doon ko na-figure out na if you really love something, kulang talaga buhay mo 'pag wala ka roon (After filming 'The Apprentice,' I cambe back to Baguio and I immediately trained with Team Lakay because my passion for MMA came back and I figured out that if you really have something, a piece of you feels missing without it)," said Alvarez, who is an accountant by profession.
"I wouldn’t say na I still have that ambition to play in the cage but I won’t be closing opportunities for that if I will have one, but I should prepare for it para 'di tayo ma-caught off ulit (I wouldn't say that I still have that ambition to play in the cage but I won't be closing opportunities for that if I will have one, but I should prepare for it so that we won't be caught off guard again)."
Before joining the hit reality television series, the 25-year-old Alvarez used to train with Team Lakay. Alvarez was first engaged in taekwondo and wushu before transitioning into MMA.
After the eliminations, Alvarez had vowed to reunite with ONE CEO and founder Chatri Sityodtong -- be it in the Circle as an athlete or perhaps as a staff of ONE Championship.
"At that time kasi I have the feeling na ‘yong pa-end na ‘yong deliberation nila kung sino matatanggal, I have the feeling na naging weak ako sa boardroom and then I kept thinking na if I keep working hard for my dreams maybe one day magiging part din ako ng ONE Championship, as a staff or as an athlete. But I would work hard para makabalik ako and at that time I would be ready to face them again (At that time, I have a feeling that I showed my weak side in the boardroom and I kept thinking that if I keep working hard for my dreams maybe one day I'll be part of ONE Championship, as a staff or as an athlete. But I would work hard to come back soon and at that time I would be ready to face them again)," recalled Alvarez.
The Igorot contender was given the boot after Sityodtong, resident advisor Niharika Singh, and other members of Team Valor were in unison that Alvarez should have stepped up for bigger roles this time around.
Alvarez was caught off guard, believing that Clinton Tudor was most likely to be eliminated.
Being in "The Apprentice" allowed Alvarez to pinpoint her strong and weak points and some room for improvement, especially in the business aspect.
"My biggest takeaway would be having more confidence, being more confident sa sarili ko after the show (being more confident of myself), I was truly inspired kay Chatri because he really believed in me."