Eddie Alvarez believes he’s a dangerous man when he simply doesn’t care.
The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight title holder will take on Justin Gaethje on Dec. 2. The action takes place inside Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. It’ll be featured on the main card of UFC 218.
During a recent appearance on MMA Tonight, Alvarez said he used to care too much about winning (via MMAFighting.com):
“In my mind, I’m just looking, for myself, I just don’t feel like I’ve fought my best fight in the UFC yet. I feel like I’m having a moment now where I want to say that I’m not giving a f**k and I feel like the less I give a f**k, the better I fight. I think I cared a bit too much, even in my title fight which I won, I just cared a little bit too much and I didn’t risk enough. I just want to approach the game where I really just don’t give a f**k. I think I fight better that way.”
Alvarez was known for his aggressive style in Bellator, but he scaled things back when he entered the UFC. While many have praised Alvarez for showing patience, the former champion believes it has contributed to his recent missteps.
“I think when I entered the UFC [I started caring too much]. There was a big thing, could I compete with the best guys in the world? Could I compete with the guys in the UFC? There was that whole stigma that the guys from the smaller promotions couldn’t hang with the best guys in the UFC so I just let my surroundings and the things I was hearing affect the way I was fighting. It made me focus more on winning than on being me. I was so worried about winning and proving people wrong that I could win the UFC world title, [but] when you get focused too much on winning I don’t feel like you’re able to be your total self. I do better when I care less.”
