Conor McGregor presumably spent a lot of his UFC 205 training camp with wrestling coach Sergei Pikulskiy and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Dillon Danis.
Given the wrestling credentials of upcoming opponent Eddie Alvarez, McGregor’s primary focus will be keeping the headliner of Saturday night’s monumental event on the feet.
But amid all the drilling of exploding from the bottom and digging for underhooks, McGregor must also be wary of the knockout power possessed by ‘The Underground King’.
And Alvarez believes that the UFC featherweight champion, who is aiming to add the lightweight crown to his mantel this weekend, is too preoccupied with the grappling realm and will actually be caught unawares in the stand-up.
“I think I’m going to land that big shot,” Alvarez said after Wednesday’s open workout. “I think this guy’s worried about a lot of grappling and a lot of wrestling.
“I think where it’s going to end up, when his mind’s on that, I’m going to land that big shot and then I’m going to submit him.”
Alvarez, who claimed the 155lbs strap with a knockout victory over Rafael dos Anjos in July, chanted “And still!” as he shook off the sweat from one of his last workouts before his first title defence.
“It’s magic, pure magic,” he said as he took in the occasion. “Look, I fought 13 years of my life to put myself on this stage, in front of the biggest crowd, and I am super excited to go out there and do something violent, and do something high-paced.”
