Eddie ‘The Underground King’ Alvarez is on the verge of making history this weekend by becoming the first man to win titles in the UFC, Bellator, and now the BKFC. And his former UFC rival Conor McGregor is happy to give the man the praise he deserves ahead of the title fight against Jeremy Stephens.
McGregor expressed his admiration for Alvarez’s tenacity and legacy, adding that he’d love to see his former opponent succeed in his ambitions. Ahead of the Bare Knuckle event in Philadelphia, the MMA legend asserted that the hometown advantage could work in his favor.
“I felt Eddie felt strong there tonight and I don’t know if I felt the same with Jeremy. Eddie is a former UFC champion, a former Bellator champion, and now looking to become a Bare Knuckle world champion there is no one that has achieved that feat.”
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‘The Underground King’ has a reputation for bringing violence every time he steps into a ring. No moment describes this better perhaps than when he knocked out Justin Gaethje after their insane fight at UFC 218 and then got on top of the octagon ring to proclaim, ‘Tell me who is the most violent!‘.
Of course, the streets will always remember his battles with Michael Chandler when both were fighting for that top position in Bellator. What a war that was!
Bellator might be gone, but the street will always remember Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandlerpic.twitter.com/k7wYhNRbcd
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) January 13, 2025
McGregor and Alvarez also go way back. ‘The Notorious’ had headlined the iconic UFC 205 card, the first PPV event in New York after the ban on the promotion was lifted. While McGregor was already a star by that point, this impressive win over Alvarez helped cement his place in the company as one of its modern greats.
Eight years ago today:
Conor McGregor knocked out Eddie Alvarez to become the first ever UFC double champ pic.twitter.com/yVvIifplzm
— Delinquent MMA (@DelinquentMMA) November 12, 2024
Alvarez has come a long way after that and while he is no longer a part of the UFC, he is still a top fighter in the ‘indies’ and will look to establish his dominance once again this weekend.
A closer look at the Alvarez vs Stephens fight
If anyone followed Alvarez and Stephens’ careers over the years, they never would’ve guessed the pair would eventually throw down in BKFC. It’s not that it wouldn’t be an insane fight.
But Alvarez’s rise included titles outside the UFC before he even made his debut in 2014. By then, Stephens had already moved to the 145-pound featherweight division, and when he returned to 155 in 2021, Alvarez was long gone from the UFC.
Now, both are making a name for themselves in bare-knuckle boxing. Stephens is undefeated, while Alvarez has a win over Chad Mendes and a loss to Mike Perry.
But BKFC isn’t just about technique – it’s a gladiatorial spectacle where more often than not the last guy standing is the one with the biggest heart.
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Alvarez has the size advantage but Stephens has one of the toughest chins in the MMA.
The big question here is how much power will they have to display at 175 pounds. Will Stephens be able to land a knockout?
It’s always a tough bet against Alvarez. If it is indeed Alvarez’s last fight, he would give it his everything to end his career in style.
