It’s been a long 13-year journey to his first-ever Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title shot, but Eddie Alvarez has arrived and he is ready to make the most of it.
As he gears up to take on division champion Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC Fight Night 90 on July 7, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada (details here), Alvarez doesn’t forget all the naysayers he’s encountered along the way who told him he would never reach the top of the mountain.
Now that he’s close to his goal, he also doesn’t forget the many who have supported him along the way, as he says the title fight is as much theirs as it is his.
And if you think Eddie is disappointed that his championship fight drew the short end of the stick — so to speak — by airing on UFC Fight Pass instead of FOX Sports 1 or pay-per-view (PPV), you’re highly-mistaken. Speaking on The MMA Hour, Alvarez insists that where the fight airs — if at all — is the least of his concerns.
“I don’t give shit where. I don’t care if they even got a ref in there. Where this thing is and where it airs, that ain’t got nothing to do with me. I’m getting a world title shot and get to do something that I’ve been fighting 13 years for. I don’t care where they view this, or if they view it at all. I could give two shits.”
He continues on by saying fans can expect a display of violence come fight night which will end with him having his hand raised, much to enjoyment of many and dismay of some.
“It doesn’t matter to me, we are going to get this thing done, and it’s going to get done violently. It’s going to be high-paced and violent fashion. It don’t matter what venue, channel it’s on or if it’s on at all, this title fight is happening and Eddie Alvarez is ready to be the next lightweight champion. Whether you like it or not.”
Owner of a two-fight win streak at 155 pounds, Alvarez will be facing a champion who is coming of a broken foot which forced him out of his title fight against featherweight king Conor McGregor.
That said, Alvarez does not expect to face a brittle and weakened champ. If anything, he fully anticipates to face a more determined “RDA” in “Sin City.”
Time will tell.