Conor McGregor defeats Eddie Alvarez in second-round TKO at UFC 205
Conor McGregor has done it. He defeated Eddie Alvarez by TKO in the second round at UFC 205 on Saturday.
The UFC pulled out all the options at their disposal to make their debut at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, in what will be remembered as the biggest event in the company's history. A historic card headlined by three title fights was capped off with a super fight between the featherweight champion McGregor and the lightweight champion Alvarez. The Irishman was moving up a weight class to chase history.
And McGregor did just that, cementing his place in fighting lore in a venue filled with iconic moments. When people talk about combat sports at Madison Square Garden, they'll remember Rocky Marciano vs. Joe Louis, Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali, and McGregor defeating Alvarez to be the first UFC champion in two weight classes.
McGregor came into the UFC as a two-weight champion and made it clear he was pursuing replicating the feat in the world's biggest MMA promotion on the planet, a feat no fighter had ever accomplished. Randy Couture and B.J. Penn both won titles in two different weight classes, but neither fighter had ever held two belts simultaneously.
Alvarez was making his first lightweight title defense and McGregor made his lightweight debut in the UFC, having fought mostly at featherweight with the exception of the two fights against Nate Diaz at welterweight. McGregor was originally slated to fight then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos before an injury canceled the bout, sending McGregor on a two-fight detour with Diaz. McGregor has routinely credited those Diaz bouts with helping him expand his abilities as a fighter, re-evaluating his training and preparation.
Now that McGregor has two belts, fans and UFC fighters in two-weight classes are waiting to see what the future holds. Will be vacate the featherweight belt and focus on defending the lightweight strap, will he try to hold onto them both? Time will tell.