You can see how much Eddie's ground game and takedowns have improved. And he's just becoming a smarter fighter. He has legit KO power, but now he's using all of his skills and not just looking to take the other guy's head off. With BJ losing and Aoki getting humiliated, Eddie is clearly the best Lightweight in the sport right now. <object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eem6ORKanG0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eem6ORKanG0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object> TFK
Not at all. Melendez is in the discussion as much as Eddie is. Eddie still a recent loss to Aoki under his belt, whom Gil just destroyed. Not to mention BJ is still the the best fighter out there. He may not deserved a higher rank, but he's still better.
Not on it's own. But when he beat Amado, Amado was on many people's top 10 list of lightweights with only 1 loss to JZ. Then he beat Hanson, who was on everyone's top 10 list at the time of the fight. Same goes for his win against Kawajiri, except he was top 5. When he lost against Aoki, Aoki was no lower than 2 on anyone's list. Then he rolled off 5 impressive submission wins in a row, wins the Bellator tournament including a win over Imada, who is in this year's final, then he beats Kikuno in another Dream fight, who was 12-1 when they fought. Then he domiantes Neer, who while not close to world class, is a good fighter. Add to the fact that BJ and Aoki just lost, then who's better than Alvarez at 155? Melendez? Sure, he beat Aoki and won a decision against Kawajiri back in 2006, but the rest of his resume is pedestrian at best. Florian? Who has he EVER beat? The only one you can make an argument for right now is Edgar, because he just beat BJ and he has some good wins under his belt recently. But everything Edgar is good at, Alvarez is better at. He's got better hands, better wrestling, better takedowns and better submissions. Plus he's a lot stronger than Edgar. Add it all up and Eddie Alvarez is the best lightweight in the sport. TFK
I didn't agree with it, which is why IMO, BJ is still the best LW in the world. I'm a fan of Eddie Alverez though and would love to see him in the UFC, and then that fight might become a reality.
I've been an Alvarez fan literally since the start. I saw his 1st, 2nd and 4th fights live, the first two at the now closed Rex-Plex in Elizabeth, and the 4th in Atlantic City. From the first fight, you could tell Eddie was different then the rest of the fighters there. Aside from the fact that in spite of being a newcomer he still brought hundreds of loud, boisterous fans to the cards, he just seemed so polished, like he was a veteran. His second fight, his opponant was a guy named Adam Fearon, who was actually one of the fighters I went to see. He was a Pitts Penn fighter, and my brother in law trained there for a bit, so I was familiar with the team and was sitting with friends and family of the Pitts Penn, as we were there to support him and fellow PP fighter Chris Liguori who was also fighting that night. Anyway, once I saw he was fighting Eddie, and I remembered him from the last show, I realized Adam was in trouble. I kinda stepped away from the group and watched the fight in another part of the gym, because I didn't want to be there when the inevitable happened. And a few minutes into the fight, it did as Alavrez just beat the beJesus out of him. A few months later a took a bunch of friends to their 1st MMA show in Atlantic City, to see Ben Rothwell fight. We had all met Rothwell in Vegas over Superbowl weekend, and he was a really cool dude. He couldn't believe when he told me he was fighting in a few weeks, that I already had tickets (I was going to see Liguori fight), as MMA still hadn't exploded at this point. My friends were all pretty hyped up to see Rothwell fight as him, Justin Eilers, Mike Whitehead, Jens Pulver and Tim Sylvia hung out with us for the Superbowl in Vegas, all drinking beer and having a good time. But once I saw Alvarez was on the undercard, I told them HE was the fighter they would all remember after the night was over. And he didn't disappoint. He won by a brutal KO. Again, even after just 4 fights, you could tell he was the real deal. When he entered the Dream tournament a virtual unknown, I knew he was gonna do well. I was laughed at on Sherdog when I told everyone would beat Dida. Then I was laughed at when I told everyone he would beat Hellboy. Then I was laughed at when I told everyone that he would beat Kawajiri. Then suddenly EVERYONE was an Alvarez fan, and claimed to have always been one. So forgive me if I'm the pilot of the Alvarez bandwagon, but it is very cool to see a fighter from his first fight and follow him as he becomes one of the best fighters in the world. TFK
Well, I admit I wasn't a fan of Alvarez until TFK made alot of noise about him on here. Since then I've watched almost everything available with Alvarez in it including a couple of Bully Beatdown episodes. It is easy to become a fan of the guy because he is always working and is so well-rounded. And I think I might agree with ranking Alvarez as the best 155 pounder in the world right now just based on recent performance. However, if he was matched against Penn tomorrow, I think Penn wins in relative easy fashion. I just don't know how Alvarez would beat BJ. As good as Eddie is on his feet, I think Penn is better. In the BJJ department Alvarez has reeeeeeally come a long way, but Penn has been there and back. I think Eddie would have to complete a few take downs and keep top control like GSP did. But Penn is SO tough to take down.
Kawajiri ruined him. He hasn't struck with anyone since that fight, and even got rocked by a nobody. He's basically turned into another GSP.
That's gotta be the dumbest thing you've ever written here. Because Alvarez has become a smarter, more well rounded fighter who realizes he's talented enough to win in ways other then all out slugfests...he's somehow ruined? TFK
Any way, I agree with Trp he has no chance of beating BJ outside of catching him with a big shot and stopping him.
Because he has become a smarter fighter. He knew he would dominate Neer on the ground, and that's what he did. He could've KO'd Neer standing, but why take the risk against a fighter that's not world class when he could win with ease on the ground? And it's not like he just LNP'd him. He took him down and dominated him the whole time, forcing Neer to give up his back. He worked for a finish and got it, just like he has in his previous 4 fights. Nothing at all like GSP. It's the evolution of a great fighter. Two years ago he probably just would've gone out and banged. Now, he's much smarter, and because of that, much better. TFK
Yes, by all means Alvarez should have ignored taking Neer's back and kept striking in order to prove that he isn't afraid. WTF? Sometimes I am baffled. Neer lands a couple of punches and suddenly that means Alvarez wanted no part of striking with him? Please. He simply pressed his advantages as they came. It was a smart fight and he made amazingly quick work of a tough, experienced fighter. And Eddie put him to sleep standing and it was cool to see Neer put to sleep and fall face first into the canvas.. By the way, that Bellator card kicked ass. Aside from the HW's, the other fights were great.
Well, again, I guess I am just a foamer when it comes to this stuff but I found it very entertaining. Strategically it was an interesting bout. Hell, Curran holding his own against Huerta was amazing and shocking.
