Should Conor McGregor defeat Rafael dos Anjos in four weeks' time, claiming the lightweight belt, there's undoubtedly a chance that Eddie Alvarez could be his next opponent at 155.
Alvarez - who is half Irish - is currently the number one ranked contender in the lightweight division.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour, Alvarez explained how he believes McGregor can suffer his first loss of his UFC career against Rafael dos Anjos. All the Brazilian needs to do is take the fight to the ground.
For me it's a very simple fight for RDA to win. But he needs to implement a ground attack. If he doesn't, I honestly feel like he can get knocked out just like the other guys that Conor was able to knock out.
He can't allow it to be mostly striking. I hate when guys who are from a BJJ [Brazilian jiu jitsu] background and a good wrestling background abandon their whole base and their whole fundamental because a lot of guys around them are telling them that they are really good strikers. I hope that RDA doesn't do that. I hope that he sticks to what he's good at and wins the fight in a dominant fashion the way that he can; the way that I feel like a lot of guys can who aren't doing it against Conor.
There's a simple way to win against this guy and no one seems to be doing it. It's frustrating to watch.
Alvarez feels March 5th could be a revelation for UFC fans.
I honestly feel like he'll look foolish. It could be an embarrassment. It could be like everyone in the crowd going 'Wow, that was it? Why didn't anyone else do that?' It could be that surprising to people. That's how I feel. We just haven't seen him there.
Last summer, McGregor defeated Chad Mendes to claim the interim featherweight belt. Mendes is a highly capable wrestler who certainly dominated the Dubliner on the canvas. It was when the two were on their feet that McGregor did the decisive damage.
Mendes took that fight at short notice after Jose Aldo pulled out with a rib injury. This lack of preparation time was critical to the outcome of the fight according to Alvarez.
Mendes is primarily a wrestler, correct? In order to implement a wrestling attack, it takes a tonne of energy and a tonne of conditioning and training. You can't roll off the couch and implement a wrestling attack against a guy. It's just not going to happen. You need to be conditioned you need to be in shape. So, if you're a wrestler and you're rolling off the couch for a fight, you have no weapons. Your only weapon - wrestling - is no good, because you're not conditioned. If you're a wrestler, you need to be conditoned in order to implement your strengths. You can't do that on a ten day notice.
Alvarez simply believes McGregor's success in the UFC has been down to match-ups and opponents not implementing the most effective strategy.
The guy hasn't been in the fight we need to see him in. No one has implemented that attack and when someone does, it's over. The whole show's over, the whole goddamn spectacle is over. I don't know why no one's doing it, it's very frustrating.
