Eddie Alvarez on UFC 205 title loss: 'Fighting the way I did was a for sure death sentence'

Recently dethroned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez continues to mourn his loss to two-division champ Conor McGregor in this past Saturday’s UFC 205 headliner.

“I managed to make it to the biggest stage and audience in my long career and (expletive) it all up when I arrived,” he wrote today. “My heart sincerely hurts and when I dwell on it I fill up with regret and anger.”

Alvarez (28-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC), the No. 1 fighter in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA lightweight rankings heading into UFC 205 (updated rankings will be posted later today), hoped to notch his first title defense against the UFC’s biggest star in the promotion’s long-awaited debut in New York City.

Instead, he was dropped three times by No. 1 ranked featherweight champ McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC) in the first round of their pay-per-view headliner at Madison Square Garden. After taking a quick flurry of shots in the second, McGregor won by TKO to add the lightweight belt to his collection.

Alvarez thought a huge payday from the blockbuster event would blunt the pain from his loss. But in his long and candid post on social media, he revealed that the experience has left him wondering what could have been.

“I am having a lot of trouble enjoying myself regardless of the check that’s going to be written,” he wrote. “I am very uneasy and discontent for the most part.

“I am lucky to have my wife and my child at a time like this to help me laugh and smile and let me know everything’s gonna be all right. They are my saving Grace, (and) without them I am a shell of a man.”

In his statement, Alvarez reiterated his previous comments about his plan for the fight, which was to circle away from McGregor’s straight left and wrestle, taking away the Irish champ’s best weapon and leaving him at a disadvantage.

What actually happened was a different story.

“Instead I circled into his left hand and mostly boxed,” Alvarez wrote. “Fighting the way I did was a for sure death sentence and the result was fitting. I say it all the time, there is really small margin for error at this level and I paid for my mistakes.”

Despite almost bearing the brunt of McGregor’s chair-tossing antics and trash-talk heading into the event, Alvarez said he had no hard feelings toward the champ and praised his history-making accomplishment in the sport.

“Congrats to Conor and his camp on an amazing accomplishment,” he wrote. “These guys continue to deliver – hats off to you fellas.”

Although saddened by the turn of events, Alvarez promised to get back in the cage and work on his comeback.

Here is Alvarez’s full statement (via Instagram):

Congrats to Connor and his camp on an amazing accomplishment , these guys continue to deliver ,hats off to you fellas . As for my performance , the only thing I can honestly say was I fucking blew it … I did nothing I trained , I did the complete opposite of what we planned on a daily basis for 10 weeks . To sum up our plan in a sentence it was "Go left and mostly wrestle " instead I circled into his left hand and mostly boxed . Fighting the way I did was a for sure death sentence and the result was fitting . I say it all the time, there is really small margin for error at this level and I paid for my mistakes . I managed to make it to the biggest stage and audience in my long career and fucked it all up when I arrived , my heart sincerely hurts and when I dwell on it I fill up with regret and anger . If there was a list of what not to do against an Opponent of this nature I did them all on Saturday . I am disappointed in myself and this is not a reflection of my coaches , training Partners , and the endless hours of training I commit to this sport . Every Time I get into the cage I negotiate being vulnerable and possibly embarrassed against the opportunity to do something great and Grow more . I always choose the latter regardless of the uncomfortability and anxiety it brings to me , I think this choice is the only reason I ever succeeded in the first place . I thought in my head at least making a lot of money would make me happy but I am having a lot of trouble enjoying myself regardless of the check thats going to be written , I am very uneasy and discontent for the most part . I am lucky to have my wife and my child at a time like this to help me laugh and smile and let me know everything's gonna be all right , they are my saving Grace , without them I am a shell of a man . Besides the outcome I thoroughly enjoyed fight week and the lead up , it was a lot fun . I have never defined myself off one win and I'll never define myself off one loss ,I simply had a bad night .. I'll have the opportunity again to have a good one ,, and I'll make the Walk to see what I got Everytime . Thanx for listening -EA

A photo posted by Eddie Alvarez (@ealvarezfight) on Nov 15, 2016 at 7:20am PST

For more on UFC 205, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

view original article >>