Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweights Eddie Alvarez and Donald Cerrone are set to have an action-packed fight at UFC 178 this Saturday night (Sept. 27, 2014) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, live on pay-per-view (PPV).
Alvarez's presence inside the UFC has been desired for quite some time. The talented pugilist even underwent a lengthy legal battle with Bellator for his release, but ended up staying for one more fight with the promotion. On the bright side, Alvarez was able to reclaim his title before jumping ship.
"Cowboy" is quite the wild man. When he's not riding horses or waves, Cerrone is mangling opponents with his lengthy Muay Thai. Since a disappointing loss to Raphael dos Anjos, Cerrone has ripped apart four straight opponents, finishing them before reaching the third round.
Let's take a look at the keys to victory for each man.
Eddie Alvarez
Record: 25-3
Key Wins: Michael Chandler (Bellator 106), Shinya Aoki (Bellator 66), Pat Curran (Bellator 39)
Key Losses: Michael Chandler (Bellator 58)
Keys to Victory: Alvarez is an exceptionally talented boxer, perhaps the best pure boxer in the UFC today. Honed in the many boxing gyms of Philadelphia and by the Blackzilians in Florida, Alvarez has managed to knockout an impressive 14 foes.
Against Cerrone, Alvarez should look to engage in a stand up battle. Not because Alvarez is incapable of grappling with Cerrone -- his record boasts a strong seven submission wins -- but because his opponent excels at damaging opponents who lower their posture in pursuit of takedowns.
Ask Jim Miller how Cerrone's knee to the stomach felt.
Instead, Alvarez needs to pressure Cerrone and do his best to keep the fight in boxing range. Whenever Cerrone is allowed to work from the outside, he decimates his opponents. But if Cerrone's opponent stays in his face and punches, Cerrone has a much more difficult time.
While Alvarez is looking to box with "Cowboy," he needs to be wary of two things. First and foremost, Cerrone will attack with his jab or cross to make Alvarez back up. If Alvarez does that, Cerrone can easily kick him.
Therefore, it's imperative that Alvarez stands his ground, slips, and then counters.
Secondly, Cerrone will look for his step knee. Alvarez should be slightly safer than prior opponents since he's not looking for the takedown, but it's still a major threat. If Alvarez can land a sharp punch or two over the knee, he could discourage Cerrone from attacking with it.
Donald Cerrone
Record: 24-6 (1)
Key Wins: Jim Miller (UFC Fight Night 45), Edson Barboza (UFC on FOX 11), Melvin Guillard (UFC 150)
Key Losses: Nate Diaz (UFC 141), Anthony Pettis (UFC on FOX 6), Raphael dos Anjos (UFC Fight Night 27)
Keys to Victory: Cerrone is one of the few remaining fighters who still live by the "anyone, anywhere" creed. "Cowboy" has fought a whopping 14 fights since entering the UFC in 2011 and is as aggressive as anyone else in the sport.
Speaking of, Cerrone has phenomenal killer instinct. Though he has just four knockout victories, a majority of his 15 submissions came against opponents who were half-conscious. Once Cerrone hurts his foe, he wrangles him down to the mat and forces him into submission rather quickly.
Which makes Cerrone quite dangerous to Alvarez.
Alvarez, despite his technical prowess on the feet, is fairly easy to hit for about a round. Though he usually recovers, finds his distance, and plants bombs on his opponent's chin, he may not have that luxury against Cerrone. Plus, Michael Chandler managed to finish a wounded Alvarez from the back mount, which is Cerrone's specialty.
Therefore, Cerrone should do his best to avoid a technical battle with Alvarez -- which could be won by either man -- and attempt to start quickly and blow Alvarez out of the water without issue.
I'm sure Cerrone wouldn't mind ANOTHER post-fight bonus.
Bottom Line: The lightweight division is so full of contenders that it's impossible to point to one man as the next tile challenger.
The winner here is undoubtedly on the short list.
A victory here would legitimize Alvarez to the UFC fan base as well. Those who follow the sport closely know just how talented Alvarez is, but this is his opportunity to prove it on the biggest stage.
A loss would definitely hurt Alvarez's standing in the division, as he would have to build his way back up once more. He's quite capable of doing so if he must, but at 30 years old, Alvarez's time is now. He doesn't want to waste any time after being forced to the sidelines by Bellator.
Cerrone has been considered a top contender for some time but has failed to top a truly elite fighter. Against title contenders like Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis, "Cowboy" has faltered. This is another chance for him to prove that he can get past that level.
The beauty of Cerrone's schedule of frequently winning exciting fights is that he can build win streaks consistently. Whenever Cerrone falls to a top contender, he's able to gather momentum again within a year or so. Cerrone definitely wants to prove that he's a future title challenger, but it wouldn't be the end of the world for "Cowboy" if he lost.
At UFC 178, two talented lightweight strikers will battle it out in pursuit of the title. Which man will walk away with the victory?