#4
Thiago Alves
"Pit Bull"
Summary: Striking and Jiu-Jitsu
Fighter Info
Nickname: | Pit Bull |
From: | Fortaleza Brazil |
Fights Out Of: | Coconut Creek, Florida USA |
Age: | 27 |
Height: | 5' 9" ( 175 cm ) |
Weight: | 170 lb ( 77 kg ) |
After beginning his fight training at the age of 14, Alves won his first professional bout at just 15 years old, defeating a 25-year-old by unanimous decision. At 19, Thiago relocated from Brazil to Coconut Creek, Florida to train full-time at the prestigious American Top Team camp.
After beginning his career in smaller organizations such as the Ironheart Crown, Absolute Fighting Championships and King of the Cage, Alves, with a record of 7-3, received an invitation to make his UFC debut at Ultimate Fight Night 2 against fellow UFC newcomer Spencer Fisher. The fight would take place on Alves' twenty-second birthday.
Despite having early success in the bout, especially on the ground, Alves fell victim to a dramatic triangle choke late in the second round.
Thiago returned to action on the undercard of UFC 56, defeating previously-undefeated Ansar Chalangov by TKO due to punches just 2:25 into the first round.
At UFC 59, Thiago was matched up against Derrick Noble, a fighter he had previously lost to by rear naked choke. The two fighters were both aggressive in a fight that took place on the feet, Noble had some success, hitting with a flurry, forcing Alves to cover up & backpedal until his back was against the cage. Looking to capitalize, Noble rushed in when Alves caught him with a perfectly timed counterpunch that won him the bout.
At Ultimate Fight Night 5, Alves was matched up against fellow up-and-comer Jon Fitch. In a match-up of two future top welterweight contenders, Fitch defeated Alves by TKO started by a successful upkick to the head of Alves 4:37 into the second round.
Alves returned to his winning ways at Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3 - The Final Chapter, defeating veteran John Alessio by unanimous decision.
"Pitbull" completed a busy 2006, during which he fought four times. At UFC 66, he dominated Tony DeSouza, knocking out the jiu-jitsu black belt with a knee in the second round. Following his victory, it was announced that Alves tested positive for a diuretic, spironolactone, which he supposedly used to help him lose water weight in order to make the 170-pound limit.[4] As a result of the failed drug test, Alves was suspended eight months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and fined $5,500.[5]
Alves returned at UFC Fight Night 11, where he knocked out Japanese fighter Kuniyoshi Hironaka with a punch and knee in the second round. Less than two months later, Alves faced off against veteran contender Chris Lytle at UFC 78. After an exciting stand-up battle, doctors halted the bout at the end of the second round because of a cut above the eye of Lytle—declaring Alves the winner by doctor stoppage.
In his first bout of 2008 at UFC Fight Night 13, Alves faced his biggest test to date, as he was matched up against welterweight contender Karo Parisyan. After resisting any attempts to grapple but failing to amount any significant offense during the stand-up exchanges throughout the first round, "The Pitbull" scored a knee to the head of Parisyan, knocking down the judo expert before finishing him on the ground with strikes.
Once again taking just two months between bouts, Alves accepted a fight against former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes, a fighter widely considered the most dominant champion in UFC history. The welterweight bout, which served as the main event of UFC 85 in London, was scheduled as a late replacement after Chuck Liddell had to pull out of his headliner fight against Rashad Evans with a hamstring injury.
Prior to the bout, Alves surprised many by missing weight for the welterweight bout—coming in at 174 pounds.[6] Despite his opponent missing the 170-pound limit, Hughes accepted the fight at a catchweight. Despite the pre-fight blunder, Alves shocked the crowd by dominating the heavily-favored former champion. After picking apart Hughes standing and displaying vastly-improved takedown defense throughout the first round, "The Pitbull" knocked Hughes down with a flying knee and followed him to the ground with punches early in the second, earning a TKO stoppage. In the post fight interview, Alves attributed not making weight to spraining his ankle two weeks before the fight.
Next, Alves was slated to face Diego Sanchez at UFC 90, in what many believed would be a match for the number-one contender spot. Sanchez, however, would be forced to pull out of the bout just weeks before the event due to injury.[7]
Josh Koscheck, another top-contender and 4-time NCAA wrestling All-American, stepped in for Sanchez on short notice.[8] Alves controlled most of the fight and won by Unanimous Decision (30–27, 29–28, 30–27).[9] The Brazilian's improved takedown-defense was once again on display, as the American Top Team fighter forced Koscheck into a kick boxing battle. Alves' devastating leg kicks proved to be a factor throughout the bout, taking away much of Koscheck's mobility.[10] He also managed to drop Koscheck several times during the 3-round bout, but Koscheck's quick recovery enabled him to survive the onslaughts
With his impressive victory over Koscheck, Alves was on a 7-fight win streak, winning 9 of his past 10 bouts. After consecutive dominant performances against Parisyan, Hughes and Koscheck, Dana White announced that Alves had earned a title shot against the winner of the welterweight title-fight at UFC 94. After Georges St. Pierre defended his title at UFC 94, Alves entered the ring to congratulate him. St. Pierre said that he was looking forward to facing Alves in the cage.[11] Thiago Alves fought Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on July 11, 2009 at UFC 100.[12] During the fight, Alves was taken down a total of ten times. Although he showed potential on his feet and put in a resilient performance on the ground, continually getting back up, he was ultimately subjected to a clinic put on by St.Pierre and being outwrestled in all five rounds ultimately losing via unanimous decision.
Thiago Alves was scheduled to face Jon Fitch at UFC 107[13] in a rematch of their bout at UFC Ultimate Fight Night 5 which Alves lost via TKO. However Alves suffered a knee injury, forcing him to withdraw from the fight. Alves was then scheduled to face Fitch on March 27, 2010 at UFC 111: St.Pierre vs. Hardy.[14] However, on March 25, Alves was taken off the card due to the discovery of an arteriovenous malformation in the brain from a pre fight CAT scan.[15][16][17] Alves had the corrective surgery on March 31, 2010 and was expected to fight again during the summer of 2010.[18]
The Alves/Fitch rematch, originally slated for UFC 107, then UFC 111, then UFC 115,[19] finally took place at UFC 117.[20] This fight was confirmed to be the number one contendership for the welterweight championship (to fight the winner of the St-Pierre/Koscheck bout). Alves again failed to make weight, weighing in at 171.5 lbs, meaning he had to give up 20% of his fight purse. Alves would go on to lose to Fitch via unanimous decision.[21] Dana White stated in the post fight press conference that Alves could be moving to the middleweight division.[22]
Days later, Alves said that he'd been given one more chance by the UFC to compete as a welterweight.[23]
Alves faced John Howard on December 11, 2010 at UFC 124.[24] Alves won by a dominant unanimous decision in one of his best performances in the UFC, out-striking and out-wrestling Howard and eventually getting a knockdown in the third round with a punch.
Alves is expected to face Rick Story on May 28, 2011 at UFC 130
