Predict how Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor will play out on Saturday night at UFC 205…
CHRISTOPHER KING, MMATorch contributor
If Eddie Alvarez is smart, he should attack like a wild dog from the opening bell. Exactly how he won the title against Rafael dos Anjos is his best shot in my opinion. Conor McGregor has a big reach advantage and will likely pick him off. It will be intriguing if McGregor can utilize his leg kicks in the same way as Donald Cerrone did against Alvarez as he found a great deal of success that way. My best guess is that they both come charging out, both swing for the fences, a scramble happens, and whomever gets on top will lay on too much ground-and-pound for the other one to cope with. I may be mad, but I can’t escape the feeling that McGregor gets it done.
NICK GRINUPS, MMATorch contributor
Man, I seem to always underestimate Conor McGregor and I am going to do it again. I may be a little biased living in Philadelphia the past six years, but I think Eddie Alvarez is a very bad match up for McGregor. The cardio, boxing, wrestling, and chin on Alvarez will give McGregor a tough time. Also, people are underestimating how thick Alvarez is. He is by no means a small lightweight. McGregor may win the first round, but if Alvarez can survive the early left hand power, I think he can grind McGregor out to a TKO win in the 4th round.
ROBERT VALEJOS, MMATorch contributor
I think the fight goes well into the 5th round and possibly goes the distance. In either event, I believe Eddie Alvarez will leave MSG with his belt in hand. While Conor McGregor showed an improved level of endurance against Nate Diaz at UFC 202, he was never really forced to showcase his skills on the mat. This is where I think the difference will be. I believe both men will have their faces rearranged, but I don’t think either man will be able to KO the other.
JASON AMADI, MMATorch contributor
My head says Eddie Alvarez, but heart says Conor McGregor. If you’d asked me who would have won this fight in the immediate aftermath of UFC 194, I would have said McGregor eventually lands the left hand and stops Eddie Alvarez. But those two Nate Diaz fights give me a great deal of pause.
In the first between McGregor and Diaz, Conor performed like Conor. He quickly took the center of the Octagon, marched Diaz backwards, and tried to blast his way to a stoppage. It didn’t work and he was spent by the second round. What troubles me about the second Nate Diaz fight is the fact that McGregor went with a bit of a slower, more calculated approach and still fatigued. If the same issue presents itself against Eddie Alvarez, he’ll lose the second he takes his foot off the gas.
Alvarez isn’t quite the wrestling threat that some are making him out to be, but he’s good enough to put a fatigued McGregor on his back and finish him. Conor’s McGregor’s confidence in his skills is what got him to the Featherweight Title, but he must question things after losing to Diaz and being unable to put him away in the rematch. Based on that assumption, I’ll go with Alvarez by late TKO.
NOW CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS UFC 205 ROUNDTABLE: ROUNDTABLE (pt. 2): Outside of the UFC 205 main event, what fight are you most looking forward to at UFC 205 and why?
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