C. McGregor with his two UFC belts. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @thenotoriousmma
After Justin gaethje won the interim lightweight belt (up to 70,3kg.) by beating Tony Ferguson, UFC 249, a possible confrontation between the North American and the former division champion, Conor McGregor, entered Ultimate's radar for the future. Eddie Alvarez, former number one in the category and who has already shared the octagon with both, decided to place his bet on a possible confrontation between the Irishman and the North American.
See too
“I think a knockout would happen (for McGregor). I managed to catch (Justin gaethje, in 2017) a little with punches, and you see, Dustin (Poirier, in 2018) was able to run him over too,” said Alvarez in an interview with 'The Score'.
Eddie had the experience of facing the new interim champion in 2017. On that occasion, the athlete won by knockout in the third round in one of the fights at UFC 218. Against Conor, five months earlier, Alvarez did not have the same competence. At the time, the fighter held the lightweight belt and ended up defeated by 'Notório' after a show from the Irishman, who needed two rounds to settle the bill and become champion of the division.
With the opportunity to talk about the athletes, Eddie then explained why he thought the Irishman was an opponent capable of winning the match.
“If Justin took the stance of going out there and taking McGregor down, pressing him against the cage and doing what Khabib (Nurmagomedov) did, I would say, 'Justin will do great against him.' But if he just stands there, I feel like he's going to get caught because there are a lot of mistakes that Justin would end up making and Conor would be able to capitalize on them.”
Alvarez has not played for the UFC since July 2018. In March 2019, the fighter made his debut for ONE FC and, to date, has made two commitments, losing in his debut and winning the next.
Comments