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Eddie Alvarez didnt know what hit him.The crowd at Madison Square Garden yelled and cheered as Alvarez absorbed blow after blow with a stunned look on his face. Conor McGregor verbally lashed out as only he can do, and all of a sudden the main event of UFC 205 became a reality -- and Alvarez clearly wasnt ready.Thanks to his unique ability to sell fights with his mouth by going deep inside the head of his opponents, its not out of the question to believe a fight against the UFC featherweight champion McGregor begins at the moment the contract is signed. If you consider Tuesdays wild UFC 205 news conference in New York as a de facto first round of McGregors main event against the lightweight champion Alvarez, it would be difficult to score it as anything other than a clear victory for the Irish superstar.McGregor (20-3) seemed right at home as the centerpiece of the UFCs long-awaited debut in New York City and produced some of his finest work in terms of talking trash toward anyone who got in his way, from Alvarez (28-4), to Nov. 12 undercard fighters Donald Cerrone and Jeremy Stephens.There are those, of course, who will tell that you that prefight talk is just that -- words to market a fight. Just like theres an argument to be made that Alvarez, a street-tough veteran of 32 fights in promotions all over the globe (and the epitome of a Philadelphia fighter), has been around enough fight banter before to be affected.But Alvarez, 32, who upset Rafael dos Anjos in July to win the title, certainly lacks experience in a setting exactly like the one he found himself on Tuesday -- on a main event stage this large against an opponent this skilled in the art of mental warfare.In that regard, Alvarez looked largely unprepared to deal with the psychological storm that comes with standing across from McGregor, whose history of getting inside the mind of opponents is hard to overlook, dating back to his UFC debut in 2013. From wearing down Jose Aldo to outright breaking Dustin Poirier and forcing him to fight off emotions, McGregor, 28, is a proven master of manipulation through equal methods of intimidation and infuriation.An outright comparison to a young Muhammad Ali in this case wouldnt be hyperbole as McGregors colorful public act isnt just a show designed to drive up his bottom line through entertainment. Its a calculated target for the emotional weak spot of his opponents.Alvarez might not be subject to fear of McGregors power or reckless confidence or even his uncanny ability for precise predictions through his alter ego Mystic Mac, but its worthy of consideration whether Alvarez, the champion of the larger weight class between the two, is vulnerable to something different altogether -- overconfidence -- with McGregors clown prince routine acting as fuel.On July 7, at the postfight news conference after his title victory, Alvarez talked about the number of lightweight elites he has beaten in the UFC, from Gilbert Melendez to Anthony Pettis and dos Anjos, before mentioning his preferred choice for his first title defense.I would ask Dana White, please to give me an easier fight like Conor McGregor, Alvarez said. I deserve that. I have been fighting the best guys, so I would like a gimme fight.Alvarez was just as confident on Tuesday.This guy has eight minutes of fight in him. Thats it, Alvarez said. He quits after eight minutes each fight. Hes not a championship fighter. He has never been. And he has never, ever fought anyone in UFC like me, ever.The basis for Alvarezs stance, outside of natural confidence in himself, is that McGregors run to stardom has been largely hand-picked, which he explained at length in July during a UFC 201 Q&A session.McGregor fans are a bit swayed, you guys are a bit biased, Alvarez said. Youre not seeing what I see as a fighter. What Im seeing is not the right style matchups. Hes fighting the perfect style matchups for himself. Hes not fighting the guys who will threaten the way I can.When you mix his wrestling ability with McGregors vulnerability on the ground, theres some credence to Alvarezs words. However, as McGregor argued on Tuesday, theres just as easily a case to be made for the opposite, with Alvarezs weakness meshing perfectly with McGregors greatest strength.Like I said, hes chinny. He has a chin, McGregor said. He gets cracked, he gets dropped, and it has happened throughout his career. Hes a weathered fighter. Hes on his way out and hes very, very lucky to be in the position that he is in. One round is all it will take me to knock him out.Either way, Alvarez failed to come away from their first public appearance looking victorious -- a notion that was hammered home by the final question of the news conference, as a fan disguised as a media member badly trolled the lightweight champion before berating him with expletives.Instead of firing a witty or explosive comeback, Alvarez seemed confused, repeatedly asking, Whats your question? as McGregor joined the crowd in celebrating with delight.His question is why are you talking s---? Thats his question, McGregor interrupted. Why the f--- you up here talking s---? Say it like it is, youre blessed. Youre blessed that I chose you. Youre blessed that I chose to whoop your ass next. Say it like it f---ing is.Its true that Alvarez wouldve never had a prayer by attempting to out-Conor his opponent in a verbal joust of one-liners, but he failed to compete on Tuesday just the same, choosing to laugh off or ignore insults at one turn, only to be overwhelmed at the next.Meanwhile, McGregor had his way with conducting the cheers from an adoring and rowdy crowd. Its quite possible that none of this will matter once the two fighters square off at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 12, what is being billed as the biggest card in the companys 23-year history, but McGregor will do his best to take advantage of every situation, with Tuesday just a simple demonstration of that fact.McGregor appeared the more comfortable, brash and calculated of the two on Tuesday, ready to step inside the Octagon at the worlds most famous arena confident in his history of subliminally cracking the armor of his opponent long before the fight has officially begun. In many cases, McGregors opponents have been the last to know that it already has.Chris Wondolowski Jersey . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Eric Lichaj USA Jersey . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/matt-besler-usa-jersey/ . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Bobby Wood USA Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Timothy Weah Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres agreed to sign goalie Anders Nilsson to a one-year, $1 million contract after acquiring his rights in a trade with St. Louis on Saturday.The Sabres gave up a 2017 fifth-round draft pick to the Blues in announcing the trade. A person with direct knowledge of Nilssons contract told The Associated Press the player reached an agreement with Buffalo.The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Buffalo did not announce the agreement. Nilsson was a restricted free agent, after the Blues retained the goalies rights by tendering him a qualifying offer last week.Nilsson had a 10-13-3 record and 3.12 goals-against average in 29 games split between the Blues and Edmonton last season. Overall, the Swedish-born player has a 19-22-4 record in 52 games, includding two seasons with the Islanders.ddddddddddddThe Sabres lacked an experience backup behind starter Robin Lehner after losing free agent Chad Johnson, who signed with Calgary.The Blues are set in goal after signing starter Jake Allen to a four-year extension, and adding free agent Carter Hutton on Friday. Nilsson is the second goalie St. Louis has dealt over the past eight days after trading Brian Elliott to Calgary on June 24.In a separate move, Buffalo signed free agent forward Derek Grant to a one-year, two-way contract. Grant has spent most of his six-year career playing in the minors, while having appeared in 40 NHL games split between Calgary and Ottawa. ' ' '