The mission to prove he’s the best lightweight fighter on the planet is one Eddie Alvarez has been on since the day he first stepped foot inside the cage. While there have been titles and championship reigns on smaller stages around the sport, the Philadelphia native’s distance from the Octagon has kept the stamp of recognition as the best 155-pound fighter in the world at bay.
Where unofficial labels are always up for debate, the validation that comes from competing under the UFC banner is a reality in mixed martial arts. Granted, a handful of top-ranked talent still competes outside of the Zuffa umbrella, but the large majority of elite fighters—especially in the lightweight ranks—do their work under the bright lights that hang over the UFC Octagon.
Alvarez knows everything he’s been chasing rests up ahead on the horizon, and the first obstacle in his path will be Donald Cerrone. The two hard-charging lightweights will step in to scrap it out at UFC 178 on Sept. 27 in what has turned into one of the year’s most highly anticipated bouts.
And while the fight will be his official introduction to the UFC fanbase, Alvarez sees his tilt with “Cowboy” as the perfect opportunity to introduce himself to a legion of the fighting faithful who may have missed his earlier work.
He knows what’s he’s accomplished and the reputation he’s built for always delivering action-packed fights, but UFC 178 will be a chance for those who may have been wandering about in the dark for the past seven years to see what “The Underground King” is all about.
“This is a start of the journey for those people who have missed out,” Alvarez told Bleacher Report. “My career will be as successful as it’s been in the past, there is just going to be a bigger light shining on it. More people are going to be watching and I just think we now have a bigger stage to do what I’ve already been doing. A bigger stage and more people are watching. I’m excited about that.
“I’m here for the guys who have gone unrecognized. I’m here for the ‘Underground Kings’ that haven’t been crowned.”
When Alvarez steps out to make his official UFC debut next Saturday in Las Vegas, he will be doing so against a fighter on a legitimate tear in Cerrone. The Jackson/Winkeljohn-trained fighter has notched four consecutive victories with each of them coming by an impressive—sometimes brutal—finish.
There is no doubting the perennial contender is one of the most dangerous fighters in the highly competitive lightweight fold, but that is exactly the way Alvarez wants them to be.
The South Florida transplant believes he’s at his best when the stakes are at their highest and he’s expecting Cerrone to bring out the very best in him at UFC 178.
“I’m excited, man,” Alvarez said. “I do my best when I’m in dangerous situations. I’m not trying to talk a big game, but in the past, I know when I’ve been put in the most dangerous situations; that’s when I’ve fought my best. That’s when I’ve gotten my most devastating knockouts. Those are the times I’ve risen to the occasion. For me, those are the situations I want to be in now because I know how I react.
“I’m ready to go. I’ve been in this sport 11 years so just getting through a training camp uninjured is something I’m excited about. I’m grateful for getting through that. I think a lot of guys lose grip, get nervous or get the jitters, but I get excited when I make it to the fight and can get in there and compete without injury. That is something to be happy about in itself.”
In the build up to his tilt with Cerrone, the Team Blackzilians fighter is also eager to compete on the biggest stage in the sport. With increased visibility comes more opportunity, and Alvarez and his team are looking to make the most out of every step they take on this journey. Proof of which came in the release of his own signature line of shirts through Jaco Clothing that carry his “Underground King” moniker and are the color of the throwback era Philadelphia Eagles jerseys from 1980.
When asked about all the opportunities that are now at hand, Alvarez closed out the interview with a nod to his hometown and a shot at his upcoming opponent.
“It’s that Philadelphia Eagles, man,” he added. “It’s that Kelly green. Hey, one thing you gotta know about people from Philly is that there is nothing we love more than whooping a Cowboy’s ass.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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