In one of the most eagerly anticipated contests since, well, last December, Conor McGregor will challenge Eddie Alvarez for UFC lightweight honours at UFC 205 in New York.
McGregor will fight to become the organisation's first ever two-weight world champion, with Dana White earlier explaining - rather mysteriously - his reasoning behind allowing McGregor to hold onto the featherweight title despite not defending it since annihilating José Aldo at UFC 194. White's comments will certainly raise a few eyebrows amongst McGregor fans, with some even suggesting the Crumlin man might be set to retire legitimately after New York.
First, he throws down with Philadelphia fighter Alvarez, and the latter has been speaking to Severe MMA's wonderfully-named Talking Brawls podcast about McGregor's weaknesses, which he believes he can seek out and capitalise upon:
He's single-handedly picked the best style matchups for himself all throughout his reign in the UFC. If you look carefully, you understand that this guy hasn't put himself against a guy that can threaten him on the ground. The only one he's done that against is Chad Mendes on late notice because he had to. Other than that, he fought off stand up fighters who don't do ground attacks at all. So he got to be able to be himself and not have to adjust ever to anybody else's strengths.
I'll do whatever the fuck I want in any aspect against him. The opponents he's fought allow him to look great. That's the issue. That's what these WWF fans who follow him don't see. They see a guy who's fighting or playing to his strengths so he can do what he wants and be good at it. I'll do whatever the fuck I want.
If I want to stand, I'll stand. He don't move his head, he gets hit a ton. Chad Mendes has a tiny little reach and was popping him all over the place with overhand rights and left hooks before he took him down. His defense is atrocious. His offense is good. He's offensively a good fighter when it comes to boxing and things but his defense is fucking terrible.
A guy like me, I can go wherever. I can kick, I can punch, I can takedown, I can submit, and I can do it all fucking night.
I think I hit him with a hard, clean fucking shot, he goes down and I submit him. He gets hit with every left hook you throw. I could close my eyes and hit his big ass head.
Whether or not Alvarez truly believes in these assertions or he's simply trying to convince himself is another matter, but his point about McGregor's defence, in fairness, is fairly spot on; the Irishman's movement is almost unique to the sport, but like a typical Irish fighter in any code, his head movement leaves a lot to be desired.
His chin, however, is granite, and it'll take one hell of a shot from Alvarez to deck him.
All will be revealed at UFC 205 on November 12th.
Check out the full interview on Talking Brawls.
