International Fight Week starts off with a Lightweight title bout.

UFC fans won’t have to wait much longer as International Fight Week is upon us leading up to the much anticipated UFC 200 event going down in Las Vegas this Saturday July 9. As usual the UFC is doing its damndest to put on some of the greatest fight cards the promotion could possibly offer for the historical UFC 200. Leading up to the momentous event are a week filled with some truly intriguing match ups. It all kicks off with the showdown between UFC Lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos locking horns with title challenger, former Belator Lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez. As champion Rafael dos Anjos has only had one title defense, yet he is already exuding an aura that makes him seem unbeatable. We all know that isn’t true, but the way in which he defeated Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone back in December was nothing short of amazing. Ever since training at Kings MMA with the brilliant Rafael Codeiro, dos Anjos has looked pretty damn impressive. He uses aggressive muay thai striking to walk his opponents down, throw a high volume of strikes and pressure them into either a clinch or a takdown. He’s able to pull this off mainly because of his amazing conditioning program headed by one of the sport’s best Nick Curson. With powerful striking on the feet, a heavy top game, and an endless gas tank, dos Anjos is looking poised to be one of the greatest champions the Lightweight division has ever seen. That doesn’t mean that Eddie Alvarez should be counted out however. The former Bellator title holder has shown a tremendous chin and slick boxing acumen throughout his career. There’s never really a time where Alvarez is out of a fight. Though he does tend to be somewhat hittable, Alvarez has always been gritty and willing to go out on his shield. But lately he has shown a different wrinkle to his game. Rather than explode forward and stay in the pocket, which has gotten him into trouble in the past, Alvarez has shown a level of patience in his last two outings. He used lateral movement and well timed wrestling to take decisions from both Gilbert Melendez and Anthony Pettis showing his commitment to stick to a game plan. The biggest question in this fight is who will win the wrestling exchanges. The takedown may not be as readily available for dos Anjos in this bout as Alvarez is a great wrestler. That shouldn’t deter dos Anjos from pushing forward however as he does most of his best work advancing rather than retreating. He also has more weapons at his disposal as he uses punches, kicks, elbows, and knees as opposed to Alvarez who prefers to throw just hands. It’s a tough fight to call as both are truly talented Lightweights. But the pick is Rafael dos Anjos to keep his belt in a five round war that is sure to produce some fireworks. Who do you think will leave the Octagon the Lightweight champion? Follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Also, be sure to share, like, and comment to show your support.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.