https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HziG9DBfJf0 How many times have we really got to enjoy a fighter coming into the UFC as a reigning champion from a major organization? Jake Shields was given an easy route to a title shot against GSP, and he still almost flubbed his first UFC fight. Gilbert Melendez got an instant title shot against Benson Henderson after joining the UFC as Strikeforce's reigning lightweight champion, and came just short of winning the UFC belt. Hector Lombard's UFC debut after leaving Bellator was something of a bust, and the former Bellator middleweight champion has since found a new home at welterweight. Alvarez, however, is entering the UFC with more hype than any of them. Not one but two articles on the UFC's website are currently hyping his arrival, saying things like "The wait is over" and "It's my turn." If he wins at UFC 178, there's a good chance that it will be his turn. At long last, the best lightweight fighter in the world outside the UFC will get to square off with the best of the best - and we'll see once and for all who the best lightweight fighter really is!
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.