Eddie Alvarez vs. Donald Cerrone: Latest Comments and Predictions for UFC 178

The UFC 178 card is stacked, but the co-feature between Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Eddie Alvarez is probably the most exciting fight on paper.

Both men are excellent stand-up performers who love to duke it out. Alvarez is making his UFC debut after a long and successful run with Bellator. He's long been regarded as one of the few elite fighters who hadn't fought for the big company with the little name.

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Think he's not looking to make a statement? Check out this insane jump-rope display he filmed and tweeted on Monday.

Cerrone is no jump rope, though. Alvarez knows that, and he sounds prepared to go to war with the dangerous muay thai specialist.

Cerrone has won four fights in a row. All of the wins have come by way of stoppage, and each one of them has earned The Cowboy a Fight Night bonus. He has garnered a huge following with his tough, but carefree, everyman persona.

Typically, Cerrone admitted he'd never even seen Alvarez fight. 

For some fighters, that might be a sign that he's unprepared. For Cerrone, it's business as usual for a guy who is as tough as he seems, but much smarter than he lets on.

Cerrone knows what to expect from Alvarez. He wouldn't go into this bout without being prepared both mentally and physically. Cerrone may not have seen Alvarez fight, but you can bet his team at Jackson-Wink MMA have done their homework.

Kicks have been a staple of Cerrone's attack his entire MMA career, but lately, his feet and shins have been his most devastating weapons. He has used them to finish opponents like Adriano Martins and Jim Miller, and he's used them to set up his awesome submissions as he did against Edson Barboza.

Alvarez is headed for an end similar to the one Barboza faced. Barboza was getting the best of Cerrone through most of the first round, but The Cowboy found the mark with a head kick that sent the Brazilian reeling. 

The Cowboy wasted no time locking on the choke to end the bout.

Because Alvarez brings excellent boxing to the cage, and because he'll be looking to make a splash early in his UFC career, he'll want to stand and fight with Cerrone. That will lead to Cerrone's kicks doing damage to the midsection or head. Once he's hurt Alvarez with kicks, Cerrone will pounce and finish the fight with a rear-naked choke.

This is a definite Fight of the Night candidate, but Cerrone should emerge victorious.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.