Is it fair that Eddie Alvarez will make his promotional debut this Saturday at UFC 178 against resurgent lightweight contender Donald Cerrone?
Maybe not, but it doesn’t really matter. The fans are in for heck of a show.
As arguably the best fighter competing outside of the UFC over the past five years, The Silent Assassin brings a lot of momentum with him to the cage.
That momentum could easily translate into Alvarez making a divisional impact reminiscent of Gilbert Melendez’s back in 2013.
Needless to say, the 30-year-old packs a serious punch.
So when Cerrone steps inside of the Octagon this weekend in search of his fifth straight victory, he’ll need to be in tip-top shape.
Here are keys to victory for both fighters as they draw near one of the more interesting 155-pound battles of 2014.
Keys to victory for Cerrone
Pick his shots
Cerrone can certainly mix it up in close quarters, but he’s at his best when he’s striking from distance.
With a strong jab, dexterity in his legs and the precision to pull it all off, The Cowboy is no doubt one of the better strikers in the division when he picks his shots.
That’s easier said than done because who really knows how Cerrone will react while in the heat of the moment, but against a guy who thrives when he’s nose-to-nose with his opponent, the wake-boarding lightweight might want to avoid any unnecessary Octagon waves.
For Cerrone to be truly effective and consistent, he’ll have to play the angles and understand that quality supersedes quantity when fighting a guy like Alvarez.
Look for a submission
Alvarez has never lost by decision. That’s crazy.
And considering two of his three total professional losses came via submission, Cerrone should certainly be entering this fight with the strict game plan intact should the two lightweights hit the canvas.
With one of he more active guards in the game and a submission repertoire that has resulted in 15 career finishes, The Cowboy is easily the better grappler in this matchup.
But as a prideful striker, one who welcomes bloody, drag-em-out wars, Cerrone could battle internally to initiate any action that doesn’t involve a potential knockout.
Let’s hope he understands his strengths and Alvarez’s weaknesses and moves in for the kill no matter where the fights takes place.
Keys to victory for Alvarez
Be aggressive early
For those who don’t know, Alvarez is the type of fighter to bite down on his mouthpiece, push forward and pressure opponents before they wilt.
He’s done it in the past and will continue to do so as he starts a hopefully productive UFC career this Saturday.
That said, Alvarez needs to sustain that sort of aggression for Cerrone for the early going.
Cerrone only gets better when he’s able to find his range, spacing and fluency, so the sooner Alvarez is able to get in his face and force him to make decisions he hadn’t planned on making, the better.
Close the distance
It is very important for Alvarez to be able to get inside on Cerrone and land some good strikes, at the very least score points in the clinch for control time.
The reason why this is the most intricate aspect of the fight is because Alvarez is at his best when he’s able to fight dirty while Cerrone is at his best when he’s circling around the cage waiting to pounce.
Alvarez may have to eat some kicks in the process, but he needs to get inside at all costs.
Once there, he can limit Cerrone‘s power, precision, calculation and overall effectiveness.
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