Eddie Alvarez laments shocking KO loss against UFC star Conor McGregor: ‘I hated the way I performed’
Former undisputed lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez has claimed he “hated” every which way he performed against UFC megastar, Conor McGregor during their infamous title fight back in 2016 in New York — as he vows to make it up to his East Coast fans ahead of his BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) return against Jeremy Stephens.
Alvarez, a former UFC and Bellator MMA lightweight kingpin, is slated to headline BKFC Knucklemania 5 later this month in his native Pennsylvania, attempting to land his second promotional win under the banner of the David Feldman-led promotion.
Eddie Alvarez reflects on KO loss to Conor McGregor in 2016
Calling time on his professional mixed martial arts career following a stint in ONE Championship which ended in a unanimous decision loss to Ok Rae-yoon back in 2021, Alvarez has shared his thoughts about featuring on the East Coast once more, leaning him to reflect on his brutal second round stoppage loss to the above-mentioned, McGregor at Madison Square Garden years ago at UFC 205.
“I’ll be able to make it up to my Philadelphia fans,” Eddie Alvarez said during an interview with MMA Fighting. “Look, I got my shot at Madison Square Garden. I hated the way I performed [against Conor McGregor at UFC 205]. I hated everything about it. But there’s only one stadium better than Madison Square Garden and that’s the Well Fargo in Philadelphia.
“I fought all over the world, Russia, Japan, Tokyo, Costa Rica, all over and during these moments I may have had a hiccup or something like that but in my hometown, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, New York, all these places, I usually show up big,” Eddie Alvarez explained. “I’m looking forward to feeling the spirit of the Philadelphia fans behind me at the Wells Fargo on the 25th of January.”
Attempting his first defense of the lightweight crown against then-featherweight champion, McGregor in November 2016, Alvarez headlined UFC 205 against the Dubliner, dropping a devastating second round knockout loss to the Crumlin native following a wholly one-sided performance in New York.
Winning the lightweight crown earlier this summer, Philadelphia veteran, Alvarez turned in a shocking upset first round win over former champion, Rafael dos Anjos, finishing the Brazilian with a dominant opening round knockout win of his own in Las Vegas.
