Eddie Alvarez considers himself a fighter who at all times lives as much as the event and he has the championship belts to show it.
However as he prepares to headline the primary ever BKFC card in his native Philadelphia on Jan. 25, the 40-year-old veteran continues to be haunted by arguably his worst night time on the workplace when he final fought near residence. Again in 2016, Alvarez was the reigning UFC light-weight champion and he was set to defend that belt within the first ever UFC occasion in New York Metropolis with a showdown in opposition to Conor McGregor at UFC 205.
What may have been his crowning achievement become his best nightmare after Alvarez was outclassed on the ft and in the end completed with strikes within the second spherical as McGregor claimed “champ-champ” standing by changing into the primary fighter in UFC historical past to carry two titles concurrently.
“There’s been one time and everyone is aware of the Conor combat the place I went into considerably close to my hometown and I didn’t present up,” Alvarez instructed MMA Combating. “That was in all probability the one time that actually shocked even myself.
“As a result of all through my total profession, residence or anyplace close by, every time that highlight’s on me and every time the stakes are large, that’s once I present up large.”
Alvarez hasn’t truly fought at residence in Philadelphia in over 14 years, however he spent a lot of his early profession competing shut by in locations like Atlantic Metropolis, N.J., when MMA nonetheless wasn’t authorized in Pennsylvania.
The prospect to headline the debut UFC card in New York Metropolis virtually felt like a homecoming however even now, greater than eight years later, Alvarez nonetheless laments his poor exhibiting that night time.
That’s maybe the most important motive why Alvarez is decided to dazzle his hometown viewers when he clashes with Jeremy Stephens in a bare-knuckle combat in January.
“I’ll have the ability to make it as much as my Philadelphia followers,” Alvarez mentioned. “Look, I acquired my shot at Madison Sq. Backyard. I hated the way in which I carried out. I hated the whole lot about it. However there’s solely stadium higher than Madison Sq. Backyard and that’s the Properly Fargo in Philadelphia.
“I fought all around the world, Russia, Japan, Tokyo, Costa Rica, throughout and through these moments I’ll have had a hiccup or one thing like that however in my hometown, Atlantic Metropolis, Philadelphia, New York, all these locations, I often present up large. I’m wanting ahead to feeling the spirit of the Philadelphia followers behind me on the Wells Fargo on the twenty fifth of January.”
As a result of Alvarez is lastly getting the chance to compete at residence once more, he’s already been bombarded about the potential of profitable after which calling it a profession afterwards.
Contemplating the whole lot he’s already completed, Alvarez has nothing left to show however as a lot as it would seem to be the proper ending to retire in Philadelphia, don’t count on him to make that decision after his combat in opposition to Stephens.
“It’d be utterly storybook however I don’t suppose there may be any proper, excellent approach to exit,” Alvarez mentioned. “I’m going to be trustworthy with you, I simply don’t suppose there may be. I feel as a result of it could be saying that one combat would decide your total profession. You possibly can’t do this. One combat won’t ever sum up who I’m, whether or not I gained or misplaced it. You possibly can by no means say that was one large win, you must go now or that was one large loss, you must go now. I’m outlined by the sum of 20 years of combating and what I’ve achieved and the sort of work I’ve put into this. You possibly can by no means sum it up by one combat anyhow.
“So sure, going into the Wells Fargo, shutting it down on the Wells Fargo, 18,000 screaming followers, it could be an absolute storybook to do it at residence. However I’ll by no means be outlined by one combat. One win, one loss, I’ll at all times be checked out as somebody who challenged himself, traveled your complete world on the lookout for the baddest motherf*ckers to combat and attempt to grow to be world champion in no matter promotion I used to be with. That’s what I need to be outlined by. Not only one singular combat, one singular outing.”
Fact be instructed, Alvarez nonetheless feels nice and he’s been rejuvenated by his recent begin with BKFC the place he’s been handled nice and now he will get the prospect to combat in his hometown once more.
He additionally only in the near past opened a brand new coaching facility the place Alvarez hopes to coach a future UFC champion so he’s main by instance with what he’s nonetheless doing in his personal profession.
Whereas he actually is aware of he can’t combat eternally, Alvarez isn’t going to make any rash determination earlier than or after his subsequent look and he’ll simply wait till a later date to see what may be subsequent for him.
“I began once I was 19. I’m 20, 21 years into this recreation. I’ve saved myself wholesome,” Alvarez mentioned. “Steroid free my total profession. I feel that’s given me longevity. I by no means had a university wrestling profession. That’s given me extra profession longevity. I’ve taken care of my physique. If I had accidents, I might hearken to my physique and sort of peel again. I wouldn’t combat by means of accidents.
“There’s a few issues I’ve achieved otherwise than numerous common fighters that permit me to combat so lengthy and have the profession I’ve had. So I simply sort of maintain issues open, permits me to combat so long as I’ve.”
