Former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez was apparently one of the fighters the UFC reached out to as a potential replacement for Tony Ferguson against Khabib Nurmagomedov at this weekend’s UFC 223 event, but unlike featherweight kingpin Max Holloway, ‘The Underground King’ quickly turned down the opportunity.
“It would have been great to be ready for that fight and be ready to step in and save the day, but unfortunately, I am way, way too big to make the 155-pound limit on six days’ notice,” Alvarez explained on Instagram. “I think most guys at 155, especially in the top five, can’t make that 155-pound limit on six days’ notice.”
Alvarez went on to note that he weighs somewhere north of 190lbs right now, and admits to being somewhat frustrated that he hadn’t managed his weight a little more carefully.
“I’ll be honest, I’m disappointed in myself a little bit because I kind of had the foresight to see this happening. I even talked about it happening but when it got like three to four weeks out, I just said ‘Fuck it, these guys are gonna fight. There’s really no reason for me to be ready.’”
However, even if he had been closer to 155lbs, Alvarez is honest enough to admit that he wouldn’t have been in a hurry to sign up to fight Nurmagomedov on such short notice.
“Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take advantage of that opportunity, but to be honest with you, my real feelings on it is that Khabib is not the fighter that you take on six days’ notice. In order to beat Khabib, you need to be conditioned, No. 1. He already poses a unique style but number one you have to be very, very well conditioned. Beating Khabib on six days’ notice is a very, very, tough, tough ask.”
