Eddie Alvarez knows how dangerous it is to underestimate Conor McGregor, but even so, he’s skeptical about how “Notorious” will look in his return.
This summer, McGregor makes his return to the octagon after a five-year layoff, taking on Max Holloway in the main event of UFC 329. But five years is a long time to be off from the sport, and his one-time foe Eddie Alvarez believes it’s too long.
“This is how I feel about fighting, you say there’s a universal law of fighting, the universal law of fighting is:
you can’t put it down and pick it up whenever you want,” Alvarez said on Full Send MMA. “You’re either in this life or you’re not. It’s not something you can just pick up and put down.
“You are a fighter, and it takes years to become that character, and once you get out of that character, it’s very difficult to get back into it.”
It’s not just that McGregor is coming in off a long layoff, though. There’s also the issue of who he is fighting. McGregor is rematching Max Holloway, and while he won their first encounter, that was over a decade ago, and both men have gone on to have Hall of Fame careers since that first encounter. And while McGregor has been otu for the past five years, “Blessed” has routinely fought the most difficult opponents in the world.
“I think if anybody can make a comeback and have the obsessiveness and stuff, Conor’s the guy to do it,” Alvarez said. “But I just think he’s been too far out of that character to come back against a guy who has been active, he’s been in that character, he’s been getting big, big fights. I just think it might be too much too soon. And if you know fighting, you know it’s not something you can pick up and put down. Once you put it down, it’s down.”
It’s not all bad news for McGregor, though. While Alvarez still doesn’t like his chances, “The Underground King” did acknowledge that there’s one big benefit to this being the return matchup for McGregor: it plays to his strengths.
“The only plus side I see, is Conor picked the perfect matchup, the most comfortable matchup, where he knows where he wants the fight to go,” Alvarez said. “Conor wants a boxing, stand-up fight, and he almost guaranteed himself a boxing, stand-up fight picking Max as an opponent.
“This is not going to be a ground fight, not by no means. So Conor doesn’t have to worry about fighting up, fighting down, wrestling at all, jiu-jitsu at all. This is going to be a boxing fight with MMA gloves, and that’s where Conor’s most comfortable.”
UFC 329 takes place on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
TOP STORIES
Expectations. Dana White expecting ‘Super Bowl-type numbers’ for UFC White House.
Back. Ilia Topuria responds to Justin Gaethje’s divorce comments: ‘I’m going to put you to sleep in front of your whole family.’
And Forth. Justin Gaethje fires back at ‘insufferable little b*tch boy’ Ilia Topuria in latest war of words; Topuria responds.
LOTR. Josh Hokit reacts to ‘f*cking little hobbit’ Ilia Topuria defending Alex Pereira at UFC White House press conference.
Broadcast. UFC White House broadcast team set with 4 Hall of Famers on the call.
Determination. Brendan Allen continues Sean Strickland rematch campaign after UFC Vegas 118 win: ‘I get him out of there now.’
VIDEO STEW
Josh Hokie interview.
UFC White House Embedded, ep. 1.
Alex Pereira training camp.
Cooking with Volk.
FLAVOR IN YOUR EAR
Fighter vs. Writer
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
That’s definitely not legal.
Buffer.
The Ultimate Fighter.
Get excited!
OK then.
FEED ME MORE
Important question.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Five more sleeps.
UFC White House can’t come soon enough, because I’m already exhausted with the Topuria-Gaethje nonense.
EXIT POLL
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