2008-12-16 13:37:22
Thiago Alves Next In Line For Welterweight Title Shot
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Alright, this news is obviously a couple of days old, but it kind of got lost in the shuffle leading up to the "Ultimate Fighter 8" finale.
Dana White, president of the UFC, recently revealed that Thiago Alves is the next in line for a shot at the Welterweight title.
If Georges St. Pierre defeats B.J. Penn at UFC 94, then Alves will be St. Pierre's next opponent, assuming that St. Pierre doesn't immediately set his sights on Anderson Silva (highly unlikely after just having fought B.J. Penn).
If B.J. Penn wins the Welterweight title at UFC 94, then Alves will likely be waiting for a long while as Penn will likely have to drop back down to defend his lightweight title against Kenny Florian, who earned a shot with his victory over Joe Stevenson at UFC 91 - Couture vs Lesnar.
Either way, Alves will likely be waiting a while for his shot, as the training that St. Pierre and Penn have been putting in has been particularly grueling, and I would be surprised if either fighter fought again before the summer.
Some have said that Alves may take a fight in the meantime, just to keep sharp - Mike Swick has been mentioned as a possible opponent for Alves, though Alves may just be content to train and wait for his big shot.
Alves has earned his shot by battering a number of the top names in the Welterweight division, including Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes and Karo Parisyan. Alves has won his last seven fights in a row, with the most recent being a unanimous decision victory over Josh Koscheck at UFC 90 - Silva vs Cote.
"The Pitbull" has had issues with making weight in the past, but this hasn't slowed down his meteoric rise to the top of the Welterweight division.
If St. Pierre defeats Penn at UFC 94, then I would expect a St. Pierre / Alves fight in the late spring.
If Penn defeats St. Pierre and captures the Welterweight title, then Alves may have to wait up to a year for his shot at the title.
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