UFC 218's Justin Gaethje, Eddie Alvarez debate criteria for UFC's 'Most Violent Man'

DETROIT – Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez have differing ideas of what it will truly mean to win the (made-up) title of UFC’s Most Violent Man when they clash at UFC 218.

Gaethje (18-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Alvarez (28-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC), who meet on Saturday’s pay-per-view main card following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, have had their fight date circled by many MMA fights since the matchup was announced for UFC 218 earlier this year. They’ve promised to live up to those expectations.

In the days leading up UFC 218, Alvarez declared the matchup as one that would determine the UFC’s Most Violent Man. He predicted a knockdown of Gaethje that leads to a fight-ending submission, something Gaethje isn’t buying into as a particularly violent finish.

“He’s not going to be considered very violent if he wants to go for a submission after he drops me,” Gaethje told MMAjunkie at Thursday’s UFC 218 media day. “That’s not what you do if you’re a violent person. If I drop him and he’s not asleep, I’ll stand him back up just like I did Michael Johnson, and then I’ll continue to beat his face in. That’s what the most violent man in the UFC does.”

Alvarez responded to Gaethje’s response, and the former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion said he’s not buying what his opponent is selling. Alvarez argues a submission can be just as violent as a knockout, and if he gets in the situation to pull one off inside the octagon, he’s not going to relent.

“Bull(expletive),” Alvarez said. “Hey, if I choke out a man who is unconscious, that’s pretty (expletive) violent to me. He don’t make the criteria of what’s violent and what isn’t. I make that criteria. We’re going to have a good time Saturday.”

With all the talk leading up to the fight, Gaethje and Alvarez have loaded even more expectations onto a fight that already had a lot of hype. Gaethje picked up a “Fight of the Year” candidate when he beat Michael Johnson in his UFC debut over the summer, and he fully intends to pick up where he left off from that fight.

Gaethje just hopes Alvarez shows up and fights the way he claims he will.

“I’m 18-0 with 15 knockouts. There’s probably not many people in the history of MMA that have had 15 knockouts in their first 18 fights,” Gaethje said. “He has 15 finishes and it took him 28 fights. If at 28 (fights) I only have 15, I’ll be very, very depressed with myself and disappointed. I own that title (of Most Violent Man). I’ll prove it on Saturday night. Hopefully he’s not talking a big game and is really going to come out there and fight with me and not try to do what he did against (Gilbert) Melendez or (Anthony) Pettis. We’ll see what he’s got.”

For more on UFC 218, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.