Lightweight contender Eddie Alvarez is amazed at how many fighters try to stand and trade with Conor McGregor.
The Notorious is known for his fearsome striking – and freely claims that ‘no-one can take that left hand.’
McGregor has put away six of his seven UFC opponents with his fists – most recently Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to win the featherweight belt.
But Alvarez, who want to be the next man to challenge for the lightweight crown, is baffled that fighters still try and out-punch him.
“There’s a simple way to win against this guy, and nobody seems to be doing it. It’s really frustrating to watch,” he told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
“I feel like he’ll look foolish (on the ground). I honestly feel like it could be an embarrassment.
“It could be like everyone in the crowd going: “Wow, that was it? Why didn’t anybody else do that?”
“It could be that surprising to people – that’s how I feel. We just haven’t seen him there (on the ground).”
We did see McGregor’s ground game come into play against strong wrestler Chad Mendes.
The Team Alpha Male fighter took the bout at two weeks’ notice and appeared to dominate McGregor on the ground – but the Irishman weathered the storm, got to his feet and knocked him out cold in the second.
Alvarez reckons lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos could beat the McGregor easily when the two face off at UFC 196 on March 5.
“For me it’s a very simple fight for RDA to win,” he said. “But he needs to implement a ground attack.
“If he doesn’t, I honestly feel like he can get knocked out just like the other guys that Conor was able to knock out. But he can’t allow it to be mostly of a striking (matchup).
“I hate when guys who are from a BJJ background and a good wrestling background abandon their whole base and their whole fundamental because a lot of guys around are telling them they’re really good strikers.
“I hope RDA doesn’t do that. I hope he sticks to what he’s good at and wins the fight in a dominant fashion, the way he can, the way I feel like a lot of guys can but aren’t doing it against Conor.”
