Lots of love was sent from all over the mixed martial arts world toward the oft-injured, former top contender Thiago “The Pitbull” Alves following his debilitating second-round knockout of welterweight up-and-comer Jordan Mein at UFC 183.
The Pitbull notched his second win in a row and earned a Performance of the Night bonus when he landed a right body kick that shut down Mein. Alves didn’t obtain the victory, though, without paying a price. The muay thai wrecking ball was battered and bruised by Mein uppercut and hooks for the majority of the fight’s opening round.
Speaking with commentator Joe Rogan afterward, the longtime American Top Team star promptly announced his thunderous return to the welterweight division after his first victory over a ranked opponent in over four years:
Alves‘ win over the No. 13-ranked Mein was important for other reasons. The win marked the first time the Brazilian won back-to-back bouts since he defeated Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck in 2008. It also marked the first time Alves had fought more than once in a one-year span since 2011.
The 31-year-old has also won back-to-back performance bonuses for wins over Seth Baczynski and Mein.
Alves sustained a litany of injuries that have forced him out of multiple fights over the last two years.
Couple his injuries with a string of underwhelming, mistake-filled performances against Rick Story and Martin Kampmann, and the Brazilian’s best days seemed well behind him. But with his latest two victories in tow, Alves has every reason to be feeling good about his chances of making another run toward a title, even if it’s in the crowded 170-pound division.
However, if he wants to fight the elite, he’s going to need to come up with a better game plan that doesn’t involve falling behind on the judge’s scorecards. Alves‘ slow starts against Mein and Story would not slide against the likes of Hector Lombard or Rory MacDonald.
The ATT mainstay will also need to shore up his shaky wrestling, which has been a thorn in his side in the past. Without a doubt, Alves is indeed due for an upgrade in opponent and could potentially draw dangerous strikers like Dong Hyun Kim and Tarec Saffiedine in his next outing.
Kelvin Gastelum, one-half of the pay-per-view’s co-main event, also comes to mind after his loss to Tyron Woodley, though it looks like Gastelum will be moving up a weight class in the near future.
Regardless of his competition, Alves‘ fire has reignited; which is the most important thing.
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