Former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez has revealed why Conor McGregor will struggle to escape his UFC contract.
McGregor hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2021 when he broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy bout.
He became the first fighter in Dana White’s promotion to hold two belts simultaneously after knocking out Alvarez eight years ago at UFC 205.
Since dropping his lightweight title to McGregor, Alvarez has left the UFC and debuted for ONE Championship.
Now, he’s working with the Irishman once again as a star of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
“Realistically, I think he still has two fights left on his UFC contract,” Alvarez told MMA Fighting on Wednesday.
“I just know how difficult it is, especially when you’re that valuable to a company.
“I haven’t been as valuable as Conor, but back when I was basically Bellator’s main guy, I know how difficult it is to get out of those contracts.
“They don’t make it easy.”
Alvarez makes his third appearance under the BKFC banner against Jeremy Stephens at KnuckleMania 5 in January 2025.
McGregor has also reportedly been exploring a move into the bare-knuckle promotion that he became a part-owner of in April.
However, the former two-division UFC champion announced this month on social media that he was in talks with YouTuber-turned-WWE star Logan Paul for an exhibition boxing contest.
He posted on X: “I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambrani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India.
“I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the Octagon.”
Just two hours after his claim, Jake Paul — Logan’s younger brother, who fought Mike Tyson in November — respoded by stating McGregor had initially contacted him over a possible meeting.
He said: “Now it all makes sense why Conor McGregor and his management team have been desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate for a fight between us.
“As we told them privately and I’m now saying it publicly…
“The only way we’re willing to explore me vs Conor in a pro boxing/MMA fight is if Dana White/UFC are at the table directly or make it clear they are okay with discussions.
“Conor is washed. Needs the Paul’s. Logan [to win] by however he wants.”
Jake and White have gone back and forth in a bitter feud now in recent years and the UFC President has previously declared he would never work with him or his brother.
This leaves McGregor in a sticky situation, as he would have to get permission from his boss White to compete against either Paul brother in a boxing bout, just like when he fought Floyd Mayweather.
Speaking on McGregor’s potential endeavours into BKFC, Alvarez admitted that a move is unlikely to take place.
“For him, making the company hundreds of millions of dollars, I don’t think it’s going to be an easy exit,” he said.
“I think he still has two more fights with the UFC, and I’m not sure how old Conor is, but he’s not getting any younger.
“It’s going to be tough for him to fight those fights out and move onto another contract.
“So realistically, I don’t know if he could fight BKFC, and if he does, it’ll be maybe when he’s older.”