The UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor will face Eddie Alvarez for the UFC lightweight title in the main event of UFC 205 at Madison Square Garden on November 12.
UFC president Dana White made the announcement late Monday night on ESPN’s SportsCenter.
Eddie Alvarez vs Conor McGregor announced for UFC 205
Philadelphia born Eddie Alvarez has been an unstoppable force since his UFC debut and loss to Donald Cerrone in the 155 lightweight class. With wins over former Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez and former UFC , WEC champ Anthony Petis and 1st round KO of Rafael dos Anjos, Eddie Alvarez has proven his stone in the division.
Conor McGregor, what can be said about this guy? Mystic Mac has climbed the later to the top of sport and media with is brash talk, charisma, and he backs it all up with that vicious left hand.
Exploding on the scene in 2013 at UFC on FUEL TV 9, McGregor was an undercard fighter and over the next few years, became arguably the biggest name in MMA. With a victory over Mendez for the interim title, it set the stage for Aldo title belt. 13 seconds into bout, a new undisputed champ was created and a new crown was worn.
The stage is set for the first ever dual belt champ. Everything seems to be going in the way of McGregor. History in the making.
Standing in his way, and fully intent on derailing the Mystic Mac hype train, Eddie Alvarez plans to play spoiler and make some history of his own.
The entire 2 belt 2 division champ was set in motion back in march. McGregor was set to face then champ dos Anjos at UFC 196. The then champ RDA was forced out of fight due to injury and thus began the Diaz McGregor battles.
Upon his return to the interim, dos Anjos’s first fight was against a relative newcomer to UFC, Eddie Alvarez. Alvarez was 3-2 in his last 5 fights, with 2 wins via decision, and other by submission, no one expected a KO of the champ. Until meeting Alvarez, dos Anjos octagon been KO’d since 2008. So with such a great performance and Alvarez proved he was worth to be one of the top fighters of UFC.
This matchup is potentially exactly what UFC needed to sell seats and justify ticket price in New York. After the lackluster UFC 200 the fans want more of a draw to commit and reason to travel. Lets face it, we are all spectators, and this is a spectator sport. Its not like football where seasons are planned ahead and set for the year. It is every changing and evolving. We all have our favorites, Cerrone, Thompson, Woodley, and Tate for sure, but even they aren’t going to sell out Maddison Square Garden.
Love him or hate him, doesn’t matter. No matter what, you know him. When you hear No No Notorious, you think of Conor McGregor. Did the addition of Mystic Mac ‘save the card’? Who knows but it is definitely added draw to the already stacked event.
Now 3 title fights, McGregor-Alvarez for lightweight title, Tyron Woodley vs. Stephen Thompson for the welterweight title, and Joanna Jedrzejcyzk vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz for the womens strawweight belt. Add the return of Sugar Rashad Evans, Frankie Edgar, and with Donald Cerrone coming of huge victory, UFC 205 is gonna be a spectacular event.
