Bubba Bronko
02-12-2009, 12:54 AM
ALVES STARTS PREP FOR SHOWDOWN WITH ST. PIERRE
Saturday, February 07, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/8124-ThiagoAlvesUFC90_1955.jpg
Sitting cage side for possibly the biggest fight in MMA history, Thiago "Pitbull" Alves had the most watchful eye of anybody in the crowd at UFC (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=UFC1) 94. He knew that the winner would soon land in his crosshairs, being the No. 1 contender in the UFC welterweight division.
Prior to the fight, Alves had said he thought Penn would win the fight, but he was rooting for St. Pierre because he wanted his title shot. If the Hawaiian won and held two titles, nothing was guaranteed. When it was all said and done, St. Pierre (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=StPierre4) dominated Penn like no other fighter ever has and even Alves was surprised by the outcome.
"I thought GSP looked really good like he always does, but B.J. Penn I think didn't show up to fight at all," Alves told MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday. "I don't even know what happened with him, I just don't think that was the B.J. Penn we're used to seeing. Even in the first round he didn't put up no fight against GSP, he was always playing the defense side, never attacked him, never actually put up a fight.
"I was expecting more from B.J., but props to GSP. He looked really good."
After the fight was over, Alves was brought into the Octagon to officially lay claim to the No. 1 contender's spot, and even though he could have taken the low road and gone for the throat, he remained respectful throughout.
"I'm a big fan of B.J. I'm a big fan of Georges St. Pierre (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=StPierre7). There's no reason for trash talking. What can you say about Georges? There's nothing bad you can say about the guy," Alves said. "He's the perfect athlete. He's the man. He's the champion. I've just got a lot of respect, but I want everything that he has. I want to take the belt away from him. I want the fame. I want the money. "
Alves will now head back into training with his compatriots at American Top Team to get ready for St. Pierre. Following his last fight, against Josh Koscheck in October 2008, Alves suffered a hand injury. The Brazilian admits that he still isn't heeled completely, but he'll be ready in plenty of time for his next fight, which will likely be in the summer of 2009 against St. Pierre.
"My hand is not 100-percent yet. Still in therapy, but the thing is I didn't break anything, I just sprained a ligament really bad and the cartilage between the bones kind of got destroyed. So we're working on it and everything, but by the fight, I think the fight's going to be July 4th, I'll be 100-percent," Alves stated.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Everything just works really good for me. I had the hand injury, so I took two months off pretty much and my body's just heeled up. I'm hungry. I'm hungry to get back in the gym again, and go through the punishment that the training is and the training camp getting ready for the fight. I can't wait. Even for the diet to lose weight, can you believe that? That's how excited I am!"
The excitement of fulfilling a lifelong dream will soon come to fruition for Alves, and he says when St. Pierre steps in the Octagon to face him, he won't be alone.
"Once I step in there it's not going to be just me. It's going to be my family, all of my teammates, and everybody. I'm really excited about it," commented Alves.
Named the 2008 Fighter of the Year by MMAWeekly.com, Alves promises an even more stellar performance in this calendar year.
"2009 is going to be even better. I'm really excited about it."
Saturday, February 07, 2009 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/8124-ThiagoAlvesUFC90_1955.jpg
Sitting cage side for possibly the biggest fight in MMA history, Thiago "Pitbull" Alves had the most watchful eye of anybody in the crowd at UFC (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=UFC1) 94. He knew that the winner would soon land in his crosshairs, being the No. 1 contender in the UFC welterweight division.
Prior to the fight, Alves had said he thought Penn would win the fight, but he was rooting for St. Pierre because he wanted his title shot. If the Hawaiian won and held two titles, nothing was guaranteed. When it was all said and done, St. Pierre (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=StPierre4) dominated Penn like no other fighter ever has and even Alves was surprised by the outcome.
"I thought GSP looked really good like he always does, but B.J. Penn I think didn't show up to fight at all," Alves told MMAWeekly Radio on Wednesday. "I don't even know what happened with him, I just don't think that was the B.J. Penn we're used to seeing. Even in the first round he didn't put up no fight against GSP, he was always playing the defense side, never attacked him, never actually put up a fight.
"I was expecting more from B.J., but props to GSP. He looked really good."
After the fight was over, Alves was brought into the Octagon to officially lay claim to the No. 1 contender's spot, and even though he could have taken the low road and gone for the throat, he remained respectful throughout.
"I'm a big fan of B.J. I'm a big fan of Georges St. Pierre (http://www.mmaweekly.com/new-ff.asp?ff=StPierre7). There's no reason for trash talking. What can you say about Georges? There's nothing bad you can say about the guy," Alves said. "He's the perfect athlete. He's the man. He's the champion. I've just got a lot of respect, but I want everything that he has. I want to take the belt away from him. I want the fame. I want the money. "
Alves will now head back into training with his compatriots at American Top Team to get ready for St. Pierre. Following his last fight, against Josh Koscheck in October 2008, Alves suffered a hand injury. The Brazilian admits that he still isn't heeled completely, but he'll be ready in plenty of time for his next fight, which will likely be in the summer of 2009 against St. Pierre.
"My hand is not 100-percent yet. Still in therapy, but the thing is I didn't break anything, I just sprained a ligament really bad and the cartilage between the bones kind of got destroyed. So we're working on it and everything, but by the fight, I think the fight's going to be July 4th, I'll be 100-percent," Alves stated.
"I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Everything just works really good for me. I had the hand injury, so I took two months off pretty much and my body's just heeled up. I'm hungry. I'm hungry to get back in the gym again, and go through the punishment that the training is and the training camp getting ready for the fight. I can't wait. Even for the diet to lose weight, can you believe that? That's how excited I am!"
The excitement of fulfilling a lifelong dream will soon come to fruition for Alves, and he says when St. Pierre steps in the Octagon to face him, he won't be alone.
"Once I step in there it's not going to be just me. It's going to be my family, all of my teammates, and everybody. I'm really excited about it," commented Alves.
Named the 2008 Fighter of the Year by MMAWeekly.com, Alves promises an even more stellar performance in this calendar year.
"2009 is going to be even better. I'm really excited about it."