Eddie Alvarez thinks Terrance McKinney is yet to live up to his full potential.
McKinney (17-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) boasts a 100 percent finish rate, but has had inconsistencies in the octagon. While all his wins have come by finish, so have his losses.
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But almost every single time McKinney wins, it’s in the first round where’s he’s been able to take out the likes of Fares Ziam, and most recently Damir Hadzovic and Viacheslav Borshchev. These moments of brilliance made a big believer in former UFC lightweight champion Alvarez.
“Terrance McKinney, I’m a fan of this guy,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie. “I really like him, I really like what he’s doing, and I’m looking forward in seeing a lot of success in him. He’s one to watch out for I think, and I think eventually, I could see him becoming a world champion.”
Speaking to reporters during Wednesday’s media day ahead of his lightweight matchup against Chris Duncan (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 323 prelims (pay-per-view, ESPN2/FX/Disney+, ESPN+) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, McKinney was flattered by Alvarez’s praise.
“That’s a huge honor,” McKinney said. “First time hearing it, so that’s super sick. Thank you, Eddie. I feel the same way. We’ve just got to put it all together like he says, push the cardio. That’s why I moved to Florida at Fusion X-Cel, and I think we really get to see Terrance with IQ this time.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Terrance McKinney responds to Eddie Alvarez saying he can be champion
