Thiago Alves
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Name | Thiago Alves |
| Nickname | Pitbull | |
| Association | American Top Team | |
| Weight Class | Welterweight (170 lbs.) | |
| Height | 5' 9" (175 cm) | |
| Reach | 72 in. (182.9 cm) | |
| Style | Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu | |
| Birth Date | October 3, 1983 | |
| Fighting Out Of | Coconut Creek, Florida | |
| Country | Brazil | |
| Thiago Alves Pictures | Official Website |
Thiago Alves Araujo is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes as a Welterweight. Alves started training in Muay Thai when he was 15 and mixed martial arts at 17. He is also a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. After defeating American Kickboxing Academy stand out Josh Koscheck at UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote, Alves earned a title shot against reigning UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, but he lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Contents |
Professional Record
| Record | 19 - 9 - 0 (Win – Loss – Draw) |
| Wins | 11 (T)KOs 2 Submissions 6 Decisions |
| Losses | 1 (T)KOs 4 Submissions 4 Decisions |
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event Title | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | Martin Kampmann | Submission (Guillotine Choke) | UFC on FX 2: Alves vs. Kampmann | 3/3/2012 | 3 | 4:12 | |
| Win | Papy Abedi | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz | 11/5/2011 | 1 | 3:32 | |
| Loss | Rick Story | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill | 5/28/2011 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | John Howard | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 124: St. Pierre vs. Koscheck 2 | 12/11/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Jon Fitch | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen | 8/07/2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Catchweight (171.5 lbs) bout |
| Loss | Georges St. Pierre | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 100 | 6/11/2009 | 5 | 5:00 | For the UFC Welterweight Championship |
| Win | Josh Koscheck | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC 90: Silva vs. Cote | 10/25/2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Became #1 Contender for UFC Welterweight Championship |
| Win | Matt Hughes | TKO (Flying Knee and Punches) | UFC 85: Bedlam | 6/07/2008 | 2 | 1:02 | Alves failed to make the required weight during the weigh in; Won Knockout of the Night Honors |
| Win | Karo Parisyan | TKO (Knee and Punches) | UFC Fight Night 13: Florian vs. Lauzon | 4/02/2008 | 2 | 0:34 | |
| Win | Chris Lytle | TKO (Doctor Stoppage) | UFC 78: Validation | 11/17/2007 | 2 | 5:00 | Won Fight of the Night Honors |
| Win | Kuniyoshi Hironaka | TKO (Punch and Knee) | UFC Fight Night: Thomas vs. Florian | 9/19/2007 | 2 | 4:04 | |
| Win | Tony DeSouza | KO (Knee) | UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz 2 | 12/30/2006 | 2 | 1:10 | Tested positive for banned diuretics |
| Win | John Alessio | Decision (Unanimous) | UFC Fight Night 6.5: Ortiz vs Shamrock 3 – The Final Chapter | 10/10/2006 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Jon Fitch | TKO (Upkick and Punches) | UFC Fight Night 5: Leben vs. Silva | 6/28/2006 | 2 | 4:37 | |
| Win | Derrick Noble | TKO (Punches) | UFC 59: Reality Check | 4/15/2006 | 1 | 2:54 | Avenged first career loss |
| Win | Ansar Chalangov | TKO (Punches) | UFC 56: Full Force | 11/19/2005 | 1 | 2:25 | |
| Loss | Spencer Fisher | Submission (Triangle Choke) | UFC Fight Night 2: Ultimate Fight Night 2 | 10/03/2005 | 2 | 4:43 | UFC debut |
| Win | Jeff Cox | KO (Knee and Punches) | KOTC: Payback | 2/25/2005 | 1 | 0:15 | |
| Win | Jason Chambers | Submission (Punches) | IHC 8: Ethereal | 11/202004 | 1 | 4:57 | |
| Win | Nuri Shakir | Decision | AFC 7: Absolute Fighting Championships 7 | 2/27/2004 | 2 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Derrick Noble | Submission (Rear Naked Choke) | AFC 6: Absolute Fighting Championships 6 | 12/06/2003 | 2 | 2:13 | |
| Win | Marcus Davis | Decision (Split) | HFC 2: Hardcore Fighting Championships 2 | 10/18/2003 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Mike Littlefield | TKO (Punches) | MD 12: Mass Destruction 12 | 8/16/2003 | 2 | 0:50 | |
| Win | Carlos Alexandre Pereira | TKO (Punches) | BCN 2: Bitetti Combat Nordeste 2 | 3/20/2003 | 2 | N/A | |
| Win | Fabio Holanda | Decision (Unanimous) | BCN 1: Bitetti Combat Nordeste 1 | 11/28/2002 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Win | Wilson Belchoir | KO (Punch) | CN 3: Champions Night 3 | 10/08/2001 | 1 | N/A | |
| Loss | Lucas Lopes | Decision (Unanimous) | X-Fight | 9/28/2001 | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Loss | Gleison Tibau | Submission (Armbar) | CN: Champions Night 2 | 6/30/2001 | 2 | 3:31 | |
Mixed Martial Arts Career
After beginning his fight training at the age of 14, Alves won his first professional bout at just 18 years old, defeating a 31-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.
UFC Career
After beginning his career 7-1 in smaller organizations such as Absolute Fighting Championships and King of the Cage, Alves 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, the lone man to defeat him prior to entering the UFC. Alves avenged the loss, winning by TKO from punches less than three minutes into 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. As a result of the failed drug test, Alves was suspended eight months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and fined $5,500.
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: Florian vs. Lauzon, Alves faced his biggest test to date, as he was matched up against top-contender Karo Parisyan. After failing to amount any significant offense during the stand-up exchanges throughout the first stanza, "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. 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.
Josh Koscheck, another top-contender and 4-time NCAA wrestling All-American, stepped in for Sanchez on short notice. Alves dominated his opponent from the opening bell and won by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27). 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. 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 is now riding a 7-fight win streak and has won 9 of his past 10 bouts. After consecutive dominant performances against Parisyan, Hughes and Koscheck, Dana White announced that Alves has earned a title shot against the winner of UFC 94, Georges St. Pierre. After GSP retained his welterweight title at UFC 94, Alves entered the ring to congratulate him, and GSP said that he was looking forward to him getting the title shot. It was then confirmed that at UFC 100 Thiago Alves will fight Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title which took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. St. Pierre took Alves completely out of his element, controlling the Brazilian for five-straight rounds, defeating him via unanimous decision.
Alves next faced off against Jon Fitch on August 7, 2010 at UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen in a re-match of their 2006 fight. Alves failed to make weight, weighing in at 171 lbs, so the bout was changed to a Catchweight affair, and Alves was forced to give up 20% of his purse. Fitch used minimal striking, frequent takedowns and a controlling top game to win all three rounds of the fight, earning the Decision (Unanimous), defeating Alves for the second time.
Ranks and Titles
- Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Brazilian Muay Thai Champio
