Alvarez plans to submit McGregor after landing ‘big, big heavy shots’ at UFC 205

UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez is brimming with confidence heading into his championship showdown with Conor McGregor in New York. So much so, that the former two-time Bellator champ knows exactly how he’s going to finish the Irishman.

Alvarez, who has one of the highest finish rates in the lightweight division, expects to submit McGregor at precisely just under the nine-minute mark at UFC 205.

The Philadelphia-based talent offered his prediction to Damon Martin of FOX Sports.

“I think we do it under the nine-minute mark,” Alvarez said. “Big, big heavy shots, he goes down and then submission. “I can see it ending much like the (Nate) Diaz fight where I land the heavy shot and then I finish with a submission.”

McGregor was choked out and submitted by Nate Diaz at UFC 196 after uncharacteristically shooting for a takedown in the second round.. ‘The Notorious’ didn’t make the same mistake again, as he weathered Diaz’ storm and walked away with the majority decision in the rematch at UFC 202.

Alvarez, 32, possesses some of the heaviest hands in the division and has finished most of his fights via strikes, but the current champ does have submission wins on his resume. Alvarez is a fantastic scrambler and many expect the No.1 ranked lightweight to use his grappling wisely against McGregor.

Alvarez questions McGregor’s heart and thinks the featherweight champion will wilt at Madison Square Garden.

“From what I’ve seen in the past and what he’s done in the past, (his heart) is very questionable and I’m not the only one who’s questioned it,” Alvarez said. “I think he has quit in him and I think it takes a tad of adversity and him to get into a little bit of a fight to pull it out of him.

“On November 12, I’m going to pull it out of him and I’m going to show it to millions of people and the crowd. Everybody’s going to see it. We’re going to reveal the quit.”

UFC 205, which features Alvarez vs. McGregor in the main event, takes place on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York. It is one of the most highly anticipated events of all time and McGregor has predicted record-breaking pay-per-view numbers.