Top-ranked lightweight contender, Eddie Alvarez, would like to fight Conor McGregor for the money but feels Rafael dos Anjos is the tougher challenge.
Last week, Eddie Alvarez suggested that there is an easy way to beat Conor McGregor: secure the takedown and grind him down. The #1 ranked UFC lightweight contender used a similar strategy to neutralise highly-touted striker Anthony Pettis at UFC Fight Night 81. Alvarez won the bout via split decision and catapulted to the top of the 155-pound rankings.
Alvarez, a former two-time LW Bellator champion, adopted a brawling style in earlier MMA promotions but has become a more conservative fighter since joining the UFC.
The 32-year-old is eagerly anticipating the winner of Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor at UFC 196 and has some mixed feelings about the fight. Alvarez would be happy to fight “The Notorious” for the paycheck but believes dos Anjos would pose the real challenge.
“I would want McGregor because it’s more money and a simpler fight,” Alvarez said to Inside MMA. “He’s the easy guy and more money. Dos Anjos is a bigger challenge. To me, he’s the better fighter. In a perfect world, I’m fighting dos Anjos in June, or July, for the world title.”
Conor McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo in thirteen seconds to seize the featherweight title at UFC 194 and will look to become the promotion’s first ever simultaneous two-division champion on March 5th.
Dos Anjos has been running riot through the lightweight division since losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2014. The Brazilian dethroned Anthony Pettis in dominant fashion at UFC 185 and blitzed Donald Cerrone to retain the title in December.
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor will headline the UFC 196 pay-per-view at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 5th.