Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos will defend his lightweight title against Eddie Alvarez on Thursday night. The Dos Anjos-Alvarez title showdown will headline the UFC Fight Night 90 card in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Dos Anjos, who holds a 25-7 record, will fight inside the Octagon for the first time this year. He was supposed to defend the UFC lightweight title against Conor McGregor at UFC 196 earlier this year but had to pull out due to an injury. Coming off a seventh-month layoff, the 31-year-old remains confident but won't underestimate Alvarez.
"He's a tough guy, he's been in many wars and he's beat two former champions," Dos Anjos told the OC Register, referring to Alvarez. Alvarez has been on a roll, as he is coming off victories over Gilbert Melendez in June last year and Anthony Pettis in January -- both via split decision.
Alvarez, who owns a 27-4 record, will be a heavy underdog in UFC Fight Night 90. However, the 32-year-old challenger is confident he has the tools to score an upset, reiterating that he will not waste the opportunity because he waited for so long to get a world title shot.
"I always said that this is a marathon and not a sprint, and I'm willing to wait my turn," Alvarez told reporters via UFC's official website. "And now it's my turn and we're gonna take that belt home."
Prediction: Alvarez looks determined to pull off a shocker against Dos Anjos. He will likely take advantage of a "rusty" Dos Anjos on Thursday night but winning against the reigning champion is still a long shot. Dos Anjos by knockout within three rounds.
Check out the complete UFC Fight Night 90 fight card below. Fans can catch the action through UFC Fight Pass. More viewing options are available on the fight card's official web page.
UFC Fight Night 90 Main Event
- Rafael Dos Anjos vs Eddie Alvarez
UFC Fight Night 90 Main Card
- Roy Nelson vs Derrick Lewis
- Alan Jouban vs Belal Muhammad
- Joe Duffy vs Mitch Clarke
UFC Fight Pass 90 Prelims
- Mike Pyle vs Alberto Mina
- John Makdessi vs Mehdi Baghdad
- Anthony Birchak vs Dileno Lopes
- Russell Doane vs Pedro Munhoz
- Felipe Arantes vs Jerrod Sanders
- Gilbert Burns vs Lukasz Sajewski
- Marco Beltran vs Reginaldo Vieira
- Vicente Luque vs Alvaro Herrera
Watch the official UFC Fight Night 90: Dos Anjos vs Alvarez weigh-in below.