Thiago Alves looked good early on at UFC DC but succumbed to a guillotine from Tim Means on the featured prelim bout.
A couple of longtime UFC veterans met up on the televised prelims at UFC DC on Saturday. Thiago Alves, a former lightweight title challenger, and Tim Means, a gritty, tenured veteran of the sport of MMA, were both on the downside of their careers. Both, however, still had plenty of fight left in them.
Alves, for his part, entered the night on the final fight of his UFC deal. While ‘Pitbull’ had spoken of retirement in the past, he wasn’t ready to end things just yet, and suggested he was excited to test free agency ahead of the fight. Means, meanwhile, looked to bounce back from a loss to Niko Price in March.
A touch of gloves and we’re off, Means landed an early right hand and Alves was quick to answer with a leg kick of his own. Means shot in and looked for the takedown but Alves defended and broke free. Means pushed forward but Alves landed a nice left over the top that looked do have stunned him for a moment. Means recovered and continued to press forward and ate a hard body kick for it. Means tried for the takedown and pressed Alves to the cage and landed a spinning elbow on the break. Means threw a leg kick that he followed up with a hard left that dropped Alves. Means rushed in on his downed opponent and rained down punches, Alves defended well but Means locked in the choke and it was all over.
Tim Means def. Thiago Alves by Submission (Guillotine Choke) in Round 1 (2:38)
