“You McGregor fans are a bit swayed, you’re a bit biased and you aren’t seeing what I see as a fighter. What I’m seeing are not the right style matchups. He’s fighting the perfect style matchups for himself and he’s not fighting the guys that can threaten him the way I can or the way any of these wrestlers can threaten him. If you look at his fights he’s not been in a lot of bad positions and there is a reason for that. The style matchups have been in his favor and I’m not the style matchup that is in his favor. I can put him in bad places and I don’t think he will be able to deal with that or overcome it.
-New UFC Champ Eddie Alvarez gives his thoughts on Conor McGregor during a fan Q&A prior to UFC 201 (transcribed by FloCombat.com).
Penick’s Analysis: Alvarez fights are all about stylistic matchups. With the right style of opponent, he’s capable of the magic that won him the title he now holds. Against a fighter not willing to press him or who can stifle or neutralize some of his efforts, things can go either way. He’s been beat before, and McGregor’s ability to counter-strike might be more favorable against Alvarez than the new champ is willing to acknowledge. Look at the way Donald Cerrone fought Alvarez, or how Gilbert Melendez did before just shutting down offensively, and you can see plenty of path to victory for McGregor. Still, should that fight come together, a firefight could be quite entertaining, and McGregor could force that.
[Photo (c) Bob DeChiara via USA Today Sports]
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Cerrone fights tall and used his knees extremely well. I don’t think I’ve ever seen McGregor use knees like that, ever. You may have a point with Melendez, but he was willing to engage in firefights, which is something McGregor doesn’t do. In the end, though, I either see a decision for McGregor or a KO for Alvarez.