The war of words between lightweight title rivals Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez went out of neutral and firmly into fifth gear last night as the two exchanged a verbal assault culminating in McGregor’s promise to end Alvarez’s career when the two meet in the main event of UFC 205 next Saturday night in New York City.
This wasn’t just another UFC media conference call. It was once again the McGregor show as he dominated the lion’s share of questions being fielded by the press and took the opportunity to add some more sizzle to the steak by claiming he’s going to retire Alvarez when they square off in the Octagon.
“I’m going to retire him on this night,” McGregor said. “He has been through a hell of a lot of wars. He has been dropped continuously. I can see it in him. You can see the effects of war on his face.
“Respect to him, he’s a fighter, nothing but respect. But this will be it for you. You’re going to be badly, badly hurt Eddie, and I mean that. It’s over for you. You will not fight again after this. You will not look the same, you will not think the same, and that’s it.”
McGregor then turned it up a notch by claiming Alvarez’s family won’t be able to recognise him once the brash Irishman is through dishing out his full arsenal of attacks, even alluding to the idea of having his way with the Philadelphia-born and raised fighter.
“I’m going to toy with this man. I’m going to really, truly rearrange his facial structure. His wife and kids won’t ever recognize him again. His friends and the people that he knows will know that he’s not the same man after this contest. He’s going to be in a shock when he sees that,” McGregor said.
“They’re about to see your final hurrah. I paint many pictures. I can fight in many different ways, and I will. I’m going to paint many different pictures in this contest and put on a showcase, toy with this man and end it all. End his whole career. Retire him. It’s over for him. He should be done anyway. He’s taken too much damage. This will be his last amount of damage that he will be able to take.”
The final nail in the coffin, as far as the verbal sparring match went, was when Alvarez claimed the fight with McGregor would be the easiest of his career. McGregor challenged Alvarez to think the same way when they lock eyes and square next Saturday night.
Conor added: “He’s claiming it’s an easier contest – I look forward to when the eyes shift. When the eyes roll and the electric shock darts through his whole body and he goes to his knees and he comes up and he’s in survival mode and the panic sets through his whole body and his whole face. That’s something I’m looking forward to, and I will punish him with those words he’s saying.”
