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Here's how Eddie Alvarez made short work of Rafael Dos Anjos to become UFC champ

Alvarez makes his first defence against Conor McGregor this weekend.

Eddie Alvarez (9) Eddie Alvarez stopped Rafael Dos Anjos to win the UFC lightweight title. Tommy LakesThe42 Tommy LakesThe42

CONOR McGREGOR WAS due to begin 2016 by challenging Rafael Dos Anjos for the UFC lightweight title. Instead, he’ll end the year by aiming to win the belt from the man who dethroned Dos Anjos back in July.

Eddie Alvarez’s inaugural 155lbs title defence will take place this Saturday night as the main event at UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden, New York. After Dos Anjos pulled out of their scheduled bout last March due to injury, it 0ffers McGregor another opportunity to become the first fighter in UFC history to hold two belts at the same time.

How big a challenge will it be for the 28-year-old Dubliner? McGregor goes into the fight as the favourite, but that’s something Alvarez is used to. He was the underdog against Dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 90 but needed less than four minutes of the first round to cause an upset against the defending champion.

As UFC 205 fight week begins, watch the video of the fight in full — which the UFC have released via YouTube ahead of this weekend’s event — for an insight into what McGregor will be facing.

UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship / YouTube

The early stages of the fight generally went according to plan for Dos Anjos, but after the Brazilian ate a big right hand just beyond the midway point of the opening round, Alvarez saw his opportunity and pounced.

Click here for a look at McGregor’s most recent outing — an epic five-round rematch with Nate Diaz in August, which went the way of the reigning UFC featherweight champion.

Alvarez sees McGregor bout as first step towards becoming ‘the best lightweight in UFC history’

Fired-up McGregor promises to punish Alvarez for ‘easier fight’ claims

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