Alvarez: I’ll be UFC champion ‘very soon’

Earlier today it was announced that Eddie Alvarez had been released by Bellator and shortly thereafter that he would fight Donald Cerrone at UFC 178.

Alvarez spoke to MMAFighting less than an hour after the announcement and he talked about how everything came about and his expectations for his career in the UFC:

Since you’re the Bellator champion, do you think you should get an immediate title shot?

I’m not the one who determines what I should get or shouldn’t get. I know what I’m capable of and I know the guys that I can beat. I’ve been helping my training partners get ready for all these guys for years. Every single one of them. I imitated a lot of these guys in the top-10, for sparring partners and friends, guys who were going up against them. I know them. I know what they do. I know what they’re good at, what they’re weak at. I understand a bunch of them. I actually could fight like a lot of them, so I’m just excited. I’m excited for something new.

If you can’t get Melendez first, who do you want?

The only reason Gilbert comes to mind is because my name came out of his mouth an awful lot in the past. If this is able to happen and I’m able to join this organization I don’t have any personal vendettas against anyone else. No one has been able to say stuff towards me because I haven’t been in the organization. Personally, I don’t really care about the other guys. I feel like I can pretty much take on anyone in the division. On a personal level, the only one that I think we should fight and get this shit over with is Gilbert. Everyone else, I have nothing personal against. It’s just business. I am not here to be a measuring stick for anyone. I’m here to be the champion, bottom line. Whoever wants to fight me before i get that opportunity, it’s going to be hell for them.

read entire interview…

*The above interview was conducted prior to the UFC’s announcement of signing Alvarez to fight Cerrone*