RAFAEL DOS ANJOS is keen on a rematch but Eddie Alvarez appears to have different ideas — for the time being at least.
Alvarez dethroned dos Anjos via first-round TKO in last night’s UFC Fight Night 90 main event in Las Vegas to become the UFC’s new lightweight champion.
The Philadelphia native, who paid tribute to dos Anjos in the post-event press conference, seemed to leave the door open for an eventual rematch with the Brazilian, a man he referred to on several occasions as the best fighter in the lightweight division.
For now, however, Alvarez has his eye on what he believes would be a much more straightforward challenge — a bout against UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
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Since he swapped Bellator for the UFC in 2014, Alvarez has faced the cream of the 155lbs crop. A debut defeat to Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision has been followed by wins over Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis and now dos Anjos.
“For me, I think by far the best lightweight in this entire division is Rafael dos Anjos,” Alvarez told the assembled media at the MGM Grand. “I had the better night tonight, for sure, but this can go either way. There’s great competitors and there’s a real small margin for error. And if you mess up once, it could have been me on the other end of that punch.
“This guy to the right of me [dos Anjos] is the best in the division, so to be able to come out with a win over him — and before him was Pettis, and before him was Gilbert — these are the best guys in the division.
“I’m not taking on top 15, so I would like to ask [UFC president] Dana White to please give me an easier fight, like Conor McGregor. I deserve that. I’ve been fighting the best guys so I would like a gimme fight. Conor, I’d more than welcome that.”
Conor McGregor at last night's UFC 202 press conference in Las Vegas. John Locher
John Locher
After defeating Jose Aldo last December to win the UFC featherweight title, McGregor was booked for a meeting with dos Anjos back in March, which would have given the Irish star the opportunity to become the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two belts.
Injury forced dos Anjos out of the contest with just 11 days to go, with Nate Diaz stepping in as a replacement and submitting McGregor at UFC 196. Diaz and McGregor will meet in a rematch in Las Vegas on 20 August, after which the Dubliner plans to return to featherweight to defend his belt against Aldo or Frankie Edgar, who fight tomorrow night.
But Alvarez is eager for McGregor to enter the UFC’s lightweight division. When asked how a potential bout with the 27-year-old Dubliner would play out, he said:
There’s a lot of guys in the UFC who are good at one thing and they get matched up stylistically well. They make their way to the top without ever going against the best guys — the true best guys, like Rafael dos Anjos.
“They sneak their way around them and they live off perception, not what really is. He [McGregor] is one of them. I think he could get found out if he was ever to fight Rafael dos Anjos or fight myself. He’d be found out very quickly.”
New UFC lightweight champion already laying foundations for 'easy' fight with Conor McGregor
RAFAEL DOS ANJOS is keen on a rematch but Eddie Alvarez appears to have different ideas — for the time being at least.
Alvarez dethroned dos Anjos via first-round TKO in last night’s UFC Fight Night 90 main event in Las Vegas to become the UFC’s new lightweight champion.
The Philadelphia native, who paid tribute to dos Anjos in the post-event press conference, seemed to leave the door open for an eventual rematch with the Brazilian, a man he referred to on several occasions as the best fighter in the lightweight division.
For now, however, Alvarez has his eye on what he believes would be a much more straightforward challenge — a bout against UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.
Since he swapped Bellator for the UFC in 2014, Alvarez has faced the cream of the 155lbs crop. A debut defeat to Donald Cerrone via unanimous decision has been followed by wins over Gilbert Melendez, Anthony Pettis and now dos Anjos.
“For me, I think by far the best lightweight in this entire division is Rafael dos Anjos,” Alvarez told the assembled media at the MGM Grand. “I had the better night tonight, for sure, but this can go either way. There’s great competitors and there’s a real small margin for error. And if you mess up once, it could have been me on the other end of that punch.
“This guy to the right of me [dos Anjos] is the best in the division, so to be able to come out with a win over him — and before him was Pettis, and before him was Gilbert — these are the best guys in the division.
“I’m not taking on top 15, so I would like to ask [UFC president] Dana White to please give me an easier fight, like Conor McGregor. I deserve that. I’ve been fighting the best guys so I would like a gimme fight. Conor, I’d more than welcome that.”
After defeating Jose Aldo last December to win the UFC featherweight title, McGregor was booked for a meeting with dos Anjos back in March, which would have given the Irish star the opportunity to become the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two belts.
Injury forced dos Anjos out of the contest with just 11 days to go, with Nate Diaz stepping in as a replacement and submitting McGregor at UFC 196. Diaz and McGregor will meet in a rematch in Las Vegas on 20 August, after which the Dubliner plans to return to featherweight to defend his belt against Aldo or Frankie Edgar, who fight tomorrow night.
But Alvarez is eager for McGregor to enter the UFC’s lightweight division. When asked how a potential bout with the 27-year-old Dubliner would play out, he said:
“They sneak their way around them and they live off perception, not what really is. He [McGregor] is one of them. I think he could get found out if he was ever to fight Rafael dos Anjos or fight myself. He’d be found out very quickly.”
Alvarez stops dos Anjos to become the UFC’s new lightweight champion
McGregor expects trilogy fight with Diaz but not before he defends his featherweight title
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