Ever since he turned a part-owner in BKFC, Conor McGregor has said repeatedly that he plans on competing in a bare-knuckle battle earlier than his profession is over however former opponent Eddie Alvarez has his doubts.
Now to be completely clear, Alvarez doesn’t doubt McGregor’s want or will to truly tackle the problem of a bare-knuckle battle. As an alternative, the veteran light-weight believes the UFC has manner an excessive amount of invested in McGregor to ever let him attain free company to then signal with someone else like BKFC.
“Realistically, I feel he nonetheless has two fights left on his UFC contract,” Alvarez informed MMA Combating. “I simply understand how tough it’s, particularly if you’re that invaluable to an organization.
“I haven’t been as invaluable as Conor, however again once I was mainly Bellator’s principal man, I understand how tough it’s to get out of these contracts. They don’t make it straightforward.”
Again in 2012, Alvarez accomplished the battle bout on his Bellator contract, and he instantly deliberate to signal with the UFC as a free agent.
Sadly, his exit wasn’t that straightforward as a result of Alvarez ended up in a protracted, grueling battle with the promotion over matching rights that allowed Bellator to supply him the identical situations as some other organizations to maintain him underneath contract.
What resulted was a drawn-out battle that ended up with dueling lawsuits being filed by Alvarez and Bellator earlier than the 2 sides lastly settled on a brand new deal. Alvarez returned to Bellator the place he avenged a previous loss to Michael Chandler, however he by no means ended up competing there once more after new possession led by Scott Coker lastly granted him his unconditional launch.
Your entire ordeal performed out over two years with Alvarez within the prime of his profession.
In the meantime, McGregor is 36 so his time left in fight sports activities is probably going extra restricted however his worth to the UFC, particularly as the corporate prepares to ink a brand new broadcast rights deal in 2025, is greater than ever.
That’s why Alvarez doesn’t consider the UFC would let McGregor get anyplace close to free company with out locking him up with a brand new deal. The one manner he sees McGregor ever setting foot within the BKFC ring is years from now when he’s aged out of competing within the UFC.
“For him, making the corporate lots of of tens of millions of {dollars}, I don’t assume it’s going to be a straightforward exit,” Alvarez mentioned. “I feel he nonetheless has two extra fights with the UFC, and I’m unsure how outdated Conor is, however he’s not getting any youthful. So it’s going to be robust for him to battle these fights out and transfer onto one other contract.
“So realistically, I don’t know if he may battle BKFC, and if he does, it’ll be perhaps when he’s older.”
Whereas Alvarez doesn’t count on McGregor to truly grace the BKFC ring, he understands why the Irish celebrity has develop into so interested in the promotion and bare-knuckle combating.
BKFC has managed to carve out its personal area of interest in fight sports activities that separates the promotion from different MMA organizations trying to butt heads with the UFC.
Alvarez is aware of from previous expertise that going up in opposition to the UFC is all the time a shedding proposition and BKFC has discovered that lesson by staying in its personal lane.
“They’re not attempting to compete with the UFC,” Alvarez mentioned. “I feel the place loads of these different guys go improper, they’re attempting to compete with a 500-pound gorilla. Why are you competing? There’s nothing to compete with.
“BKFC is one thing totally different, fully totally different, attempting to carve out its personal little factor and attempting to be totally different. Not attempting to be the identical. Not attempting to appear like anything. That’s why it’s doing effectively.”
Add to that, Alvarez is aware of from his two fights in BKFC that the game is ultra-exciting with a relentless tempo contemplating the longest battle takes place over 5, two-minute rounds.
It’s a dash to the end as quickly as the primary punch is thrown plus the Philadelphia native acknowledges that everyone understands a fist battle, which is strictly what BKFC is giving them.
“Everyone is aware of what it’s like — effectively not everyone — however folks can notice what they’re seeing getting hit with a naked fist,” Alvarez mentioned. “A few of these strikes, wrestling or jiu-jitsu, they don’t know what it’s, they usually form of go clean as soon as that occurs in an MMA battle.
“They go get popcorn, go get a soda, however in naked knuckle combating, everyone is attentive. They know what can go on in a short time. It will get very violent, very quick and it’s enjoyable to observe.”
