After a long and dramatic stint with Bellator, seasoned mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Eddie Alvarez will finally test himself in the big leagues at UFC 178 tonight (Sat., Sept. 27, 2014) when he collides with Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. It's a must-watch Lightweight showdown.
Since the collapse of Pride FC, the mixed martial arts (MMA) MMA universe has largely been defined by one leading promotion, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Indeed, UFC has been the dominant entity in the sport for a long, long time. And while an assortment of "number two" promotions have sprung up over time, UFC has largely been the place to see the best fight the best.
That does not mean that some fighters don't fall through the cracks. The legendary Russian Fedor Emelianenko never fought for UFC, nor did a crop of other top fighters. Right now, yet another UFC rebel, Ben Askren, has voiced his concern about jumping ship to the promotion.
The current "number two" is Bellator Fighting Championships, an MMA promotion that is unfortunately became known for its shady contract dealings with fighters. Locking its fighters into lengthy negotiation periods at the end of their contracts, Bellator has done its very best to prevent its top fighters from jumping ship to UFC.
Following lengthy contract disputes with the Bjorn Rebney regime, the new Scott Coker-led Bellator guard has decided to allow one of its biggest stars, Eddie Alvarez, to switch sweaters. Alvarez, Bellator's former Lightweight champion, became well known following two classic battles with Michael Chandler for the title and a 10-fight tenure with the promotion. Alvarez has also fought for top promotions, including K-1 and Dream, boasting wins over well-known fighters such as Tatsuya Kawajiri, Shinya Aoki, Patricky Freire and the aforementioned Chandler, among others.
Alvarez has long been rumored as a UFC target, even appearing cage side next to company president Dana White a little more than years ago before his infamous contract saga. In the time since his first rumored move, UFC's Lightweight championship has changed hands and the landscape of the division has changed drastically. UFC's 155-pound division is incredibly deep as it is, and with Alvarez's addition, the promotion has just added another hungry shark to the tank.
As such, Alvarez gets no warm welcome upon his Octagon debut. He will face Donald Cerrone in the UFC 178 co-main event of the evening, in a bout that could mean title implications for the winner in the near future. "Cowboy" is no easy fight for anyone, currently on a four-fight win streak, splitting those four wins with two submissions and two knockouts.
Alvarez has fought many challenging opponents in his time, but Cerrone may just be his most difficult and significant opponent to date. "Cowboy" boasts a very well-rounded skill set and is more than capable of finishing a fight from any position. Cerrone also does his best to constantly stay on point, taking fights more frequently than any other top fighter in the promotion.
Even though Cerrone has never made it to the pinnacle of the sport, he is a fighter you expect to be near the top of the division for much of the foreseeable future.
It is up to Alvarez to bump Cerrone down a peg, and that is certainly a possibility for a fighter so skilled. Alvarez boasts vicious knockout power, which he uses brilliantly when coupled with his fleet-footed, angle-conscious approach to striking. He weaves in and out of exchanges seamlessly, capable of fighting at range or in tight ... whatever need be.
Alvarez is also no slouch on the ground, though it could be said that this could be a weakness. His transitional game and wrestling are quite good, but at times he gets sloppy in scrambles (a place where Cerrone thrives) and gives up positions or even submissions, as we saw in his respective first bouts with Shinya Aoki and Chandler.
Another exploitable flaw in Alvarez's game is a somewhat suspect chin. Even though Alvarez has only been finished with strikes once, he is prone to getting noticeably hurt by opponents when he gets caught, a problem most notably illustrated in the Chandler bouts. His defense is quite solid, but all it takes is one good strike, and Cerrone is the type of fighter you'd expect to be able to capitalize on whatever openings he's given.
Ultimately, Cerrone represents a huge challenge for Alvarez, but not an insurmountable one. A gameplan of high-output, fleet-footed offense and constant feints and pressure could be exactly what Alvarez needs to pull out an impressive win in his promotional debut.
All things considered, Alvarez has much to prove when he steps into the Octagon for the first time later tonight at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a very talented fighter, one with a lot of upside. A win over Cerrone would be huge for him -- especially in his debut -- and it could launch him into contender status upon arrival in UFC.
At 30 years old, Alvarez isn't a prospect anymore, but he could certainly have his name among the top lightweights in the world in the very near future if he can make a good first impression at UFC 178 later tonight.
Watch it!
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