Eddie Alvarez is the former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion. He has revealed that he was thrown off by Conor McGregor’s audience cornering during his BKFC 41 co-main event against Chad Mendes.
There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the BKFC 41 co-main event between Eddie Alvarez and Chad Mendes.
The two put on an incredible show, with both of them being knocked down but neither of them being able to finish early. In the end, Alvarez walked away with a split decision victory after five grueling rounds of bare-knuckle boxing.
Conor McGregor’s Animated Cornering
Conor McGregor, who was in attendance, was visibly animated throughout the match and was seen shouting instructions at Mendes.
At one point, McGregor yelled, “Upper cut!” while sitting ringside. The instruction was apparently for Mendes, but Alvarez ended up acting on it and landed a flush upper cut.
Eddie Alvarez’s Confusion
After, Alvarez was asked if he had heard McGregor yelling during the match. In an interview with Helen Yee, Alvarez stated that he thought McGregor was yelling instructions for him and even said “good job” to him. However, he later found out that McGregor was actually yelling at Mendes.
Alvarez went on to say that he believed McGregor was playing both sides during the match. He was confused by McGregor’s yelling and thought that he was being cheered on by the former UFC champion. Alvarez’s confusion was understandable, given the noise and excitement of the event.
Following his bout with Alvarez, Chad Mendes announced his retirement from professional combat sports. During his ring interview, Mendes spoke about how he had been training since the age of five and thanked his fans for their support throughout his career. He also expressed his gratitude for the amazing memories he had made throughout his UFC career.