UFC
Eddie Alvarez knows he's got a target on his back into UFC debut, but he's gunning for the title
Aug 19, 2014 - 10:05:06 PM Eddie Alvarez knows he's got a target on his back into UFC debut, but he's gunning for the title

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Eddie Alvarez is finally coming to the UFC, and in his first interview with UFC.com, the Bellator Lightweight Champion commented that he feels his entire career to this point has been preparing him for this stage.

"There are a lot of big things coming for me, and this was a natural progression," Alvarez said. "I know the fans are excited and I'm excited too, but the truth is, as far as what I do every day and what I'm trying to accomplish, the goals don't change, my habits don't change, and everything's the same. I'm going to be put under a bigger spotlight with the best promotion in the world, and I'm excited to get to express myself for all the hardcore fans and for all the fans that don't know MMA. I'm just excited to be put on this big stage, and I feel like the past 10-11 years have been me trying to perfect my craft, so when this moment did come and I was put in front of this many people, that it would be near-perfect."

Alvarez's upcoming debut with Donald Cerrone at UFC 178 is the kind of fight that has every fan excited, and Alvarez says it's exactly what he's looking for in his UFC run.

"I'm not about decisions," he said. "Anybody who's followed my career knows that. I rarely go to the judges and I welcome that kind of fight and I thrive in those situations. These are the fights that fans want to see. I want to be involved in fights where fans are biting their nails and going 'holy s**t, is this really about to happen?' Those are the fights I want to be involved in, and that's what this sport's about. That's what gives me chills, that's what wakes me up early and makes me go to bed late. That's a huge reason why I'm here with the UFC now."

"Anybody in your division, you would be lying if you say you weren't thinking about it. I'm competitive, so whenever I see anyone in my division, right away I look at how I'd match up with the guy, whether I want to fight him, don't want to fight him, or whatever the deal is. For me, Cerrone is fan-friendly, I love his style, we have similar set-ups, and I enjoy the way he fights. I love the way we match up together, and I think it's a great way to enter the UFC with a guy like that."

Cerrone's not the end all be all of Alvarez's trip to the UFC, though, and the top ranked competitor is determined to take on all who remain ahead of him in the eyes of UFC fans.

"There's going to be a bit of a target on my back and a lot of people are going to speculate on what I deserve and what I don't deserve, who I should fight and who I shouldn't fight, and it's going to be up to me to prove all the naysayers wrong and let them know what I truly am capable of, no matter what they think," he said. "I'm excited to do that and I'm excited to be in big fights on a big stage."

"My deal has nothing to do with Cowboy Cerrone or any of these guys in the division, for that matter. I want the title and whoever's in front of me at that time, bottom line I'm coming out to destroy them. I'm coming after them."