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MMA

29th Sep 2016

Stephen Thompson makes big claim about Eddie Alvarez’ current weight

This is Nate Diaz stuff

Patrick McCarry

Dana White does not believe Conor McGregor can go through many more wars against bigger UFC fighters.

Its a handy thing, then, that The Notorious is preparing for his first UFC contest at lightweight [155 lbs].

John Kavanagh, McGregor’s coach, maintains his man is best suited to 155. At the UFC 205 press conference, on Tuesday, McGregor agreed and claimed it would be the division he would “dominate” for the next few years.

It may come as an unwelcome surprise to McGregor that current lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is walking around at 180 lbs just six weeks out from the UFC 205 headliner.

The claim arrives courtesy of welterweight title challenger Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson, who trained with Alvarez, Chris Weidman and Frankie Edgar at Mark Henry’s gym, earlier this week.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK5ov73gkm8/?taken-by=frankieedgar

Flo-Combat caught up with Edgar and Thompson after the UFC 205 presser and found both men effusive in their praise of Alvarez. Thompson said:

“He’s a big dude man. I didn’t realise how big he was.

“We trained last night and he must be walking around like what… 180? That’s only like, five pounds less than I am.”

McGregor fought and defeated the bigger man, Nate Diaz, in his last outing, at UFC 202. UFC president Dana White has been telling reporters Diaz weighed 190 lbs on the night but the Stockton native disputes it. Whatever he claims, he had at least 12 lbs on the Dubliner.

The most Alvarez would be likely to get up to after weighing in at 155 lbs, on November 11, would be 170 but he does have a frame to support more.

Another grind ahead, unless McGregor can settle his next fight early.

Catch up on the first episode of Football Friday Live…