“Funny fact, Dustin was the first high-level athlete I had the pleasure to work with since I made the switch from fighting to coaching… and the first fight we had together was Anthony Pettis. I was still active, so we did a lot of sparring for that fight and mitt work. So this week is pretty special.” – Thiago “Pit Bull” Alves

Pit Bull is one of the most feared strikers MMA has ever seen. He holds notable wins over Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan, and Josh Koscheck, as well as challenging Georges St-Pierre for the title in 2009. Coach Alves knows this game better than most. Someone with that résumé and passion for the sport can only complement Dustin’s already defined skill set. We spoke on some adjustments between now and the last encounter.

“I think right now, at this stage of their lives, they’ve already accomplished so much in the sport, you know? Being champions in two different weight classes. I think it’s going to be even better! We’ve prepared ourselves for the best Max Holloway possible. (Max) moving up to 55 gives you extra juice, rejuvenation, and excitement. We factor everything in. But Dustin’s a dog, always been a true fighter. Things are bad, he puts his chin down and keeps swinging. But we made it more strategic.”

Max and Dustin are no strangers to slugfests, which is why we find this bout for the BMF title. Being their third fight with each other, they are no strangers to each other either. When fighters find themselves in this situation, it’s best to make sure their own game is tight instead of focusing on holes in their opponent’s. Strategy is important to create the offense appropriate for winning rounds and getting the knockout.

Poirier has been with American Top Team for 13 years. We spoke on his first impression when joining the powerhouse.

“Solid dude, very respectful. Wanted to learn, and he knew he was a new guy in an established gym, and he knew what we had to offer. Look at him right now. I always say at American Top Team, you either fit in right away or you don’t… A lot of guys come and go, but Dustin stayed with us. He trusts the work, and look where he is right now. One of the most accomplished lightweights in UFC history.”

Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway for the BMF title at UFC 318 will be an instant classic—two fighters who are fan favorites for what they do both in and out of competition. Emotions will be high not only for them, but for everyone engaged. We get a wonderful way to send off a special career as The Diamond rides off into the sunset. Don’t blink!

For the full interview with Thiago Alves see “Din Thomas FightCourt” on Youtube.

The post Thiago Alves Breaks Down Dustin Poirier’s UFC 318 Retirement Fight, Legacy appeared first on Cageside Press.

A former UFC title challenger, Alves, who had told Cageside Press in advance that the fight would likely be his last, faced Mike Perry in the main event of BKFC KnuckleMania 4. A former champ with the promotion, Alves remained a big name, but was dusted about a minute into the bout.

So what comes next for “Pitbull?” Speaking with media outlets following the event, he confirmed that retirement is the plan.

“I’m going back to retirement. I pretty much was already retired. Didn’t make an announcement or anything because I wanted to do one more. And this was it,” Alves stated. “Unfortunately it didn’t go my way.”

“I’ve been fighting since I was 15 years old. Took this fight on eight week’s notice, I lost my mother on April 5, so I’ve been through a lot. I put my family through a lot already. I’m happy being a coach, living the life that I live. I’ve got no regrets. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to go out on top when you’re competing at this level. But I’m happy with the man I see in the mirror, and on to the next one.”

The ending to Saturday’s main event came when the ref waved the action off after a knockdown. Alves did make it make to his feet, but appeared to stumble, forcing the referee’s hands. “I got dropped, and I was getting up, and then the referee told me ‘take a few steps.’ I did, and I guess he didn’t like what he saw,” Alves recalled.

“I figured I’d go out on my shield, but that wasn’t the case today.”

After decades in combat sports, Thiago Alves has plenty of fond memories, but one in particular is his Fight of the Night winning performance against Seth Baczynski in Orlando in 2014. “I had a lot of pressure in that fight,” Alves noted, pointing out that Bacazynski had just defeated Neil Magny, while Alves himself had been on the shelf for two years. “If you don’t compete for two years at this level we’re competing, you’re pretty much forgotten. So I was very proud of this moment, I was able to fight and win a Performance of the Night.”

Watch the full BKFC KnuckleMania 4 post-fight press conference with Thiago Alves above.

The post Thiago Alves Confirms Retirement Following BKFC KnuckleMania 4 appeared first on Cageside Press.

The bareknuckle boxing behemoth’s KnuckleMania 4 is headlined by “King of Violence” / “Platinum” Mike Perry, who will look to continue a recent surge against Thiago Alves – a former UFC title challenger, and the inaugural BKFC middleweight champion.

Alves will be making his return to action in the bout after being on hiatus since 2021. Perry, meanwhile, earned the “King of Violence” title in a bout with Eddie Alvarez this past December which saw him stop the former UFC and Bellator MMA lightweight champ.

In the co-main event, heavyweight champ Mick Terrill put his title on the line against Lorenzo Hunt, while former UFC stars Ben Rothwell and Todd Duffee were also in action. The bout, originally scheduled for months early, was likely to produce the next tilte challenger in the weight class. Julian Lane, of “Let me bang, bro!” fame and now a BKFC mainstay, was also on the docket, taking on Evgeny Kurdanov in a main card bout.

Where to Watch BKFC KnuckleMania 4

Saturday, April 27, 2024 sees BKFC KnuckleMania 4 take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. The main card is available on PPV starting at 10PM ET, with the event available via Fite.tv and other outlets. A free preliminary card gets underway at 9PM ET, 6PM PT; full results can be found below.

BKFC KnuckleMania 4: Perry vs. Alves Results

Main Card

Mike Perry def. Thiago Alves by TKO, Round 1, 1:00
Mick Terrill (c) def. Lorenzo Hunt by TKO (injury), Round 1, 1:48 – for the BKFC heavyweight championship
Ben Rothwell def. Todd Duffee by TKO (retirement), Round 1, 0:43
Alfredo Angulo def. Jeremiah Riggs by KO, Round 1, 1:33
Julian Lane def. Evgeny Kurdanov by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 1, 2:00
Crystal Pittman def. Sydney Smith by TKO, Round 1, 0:48
David Diaz vs. Shane Jordan ends in a unanimous draw (47-47, 47-47, 47-47)
Andrew Angelcor def. Ruben Warr by split decision (47-48, 49-46, 48-47)
Daniel Alvarez def. Victor Rosas by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 4, 2:00

Preliminary Card

Vinny Familari def. Fernando Gonzalez by unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 49-46)
Tommy Aaron def. Richard Brooks by TKO, Round 2, 1:14
Keith Richardson def. Cody Vidal by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 2, 2:00

The post BKFC KnuckleMania 4: Perry vs. Alves Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Alves, who fought Georges St-Pierre at UFC 100 for that promotion’s welterweight championship, was the inaugural BKFC middleweight champion, but has not competed since winning that title in 2021. At 2-0 in bare-knuckle, he’s giving the sport another go in arguably the biggest show in company history, on April 27 in Los Angeles.

“David Feldman called me about four weeks ago, made me a good offer, and I said yes,” Alves told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview promoting the event. “Let’s get it done. It’s a big opportunity. Big risk, but big reward. Fighting Mike Perry at Knuckle Mania 4, I’m ready to go, man. It’s going to be fun.”

KnuckleMania 4 opponent Perry has become known as the ‘King of Violence’ and even holds a symbolic title recognizing him as such. That’s an accolade Alves himself would like to usurp.

Asked about Perry, “I think he’s great for BKFC, definitely the golden boy of BKFC,” stated Alves. “But I think he has a lot of mistakes inside of that square cage, and I’m going to capitalize on those mistakes and make him pay for them. And I’m going to be the King of Violence.”

That said, Saturday will not mark the start of a fresh run for Pitbull in combat sports. In fact it’s likely to mark his retirement.

“Nah, this will probably be my last fight. I’m 40 years old now,” Alves said when asked about carrying on. “I’ve got a lot of great things happening outside of fighting. I wasn’t training with the fight in mind, but bareknuckle boxing made me a great offer to come in, headline the show, and here we are. But this most likely will be my last one.”

Watch our full interview with BKFC KnuckleMania 4’s Thiago Alves above.

The post Thiago Alves Says BKFC KnuckleMania 4 “Probably” His Last Fight appeared first on Cageside Press.

A quadrilogy of title fights. The debut of everyone’s favorite pearl-adorned fighter, Pearl Gonzalez. Julian “Let me Bang, Bro!” Lane.

The title fights came at heavyweight, 205lbs, 175lbs, and 155lbs. In the main event, it was Joey Beltran set to defend his heavyweight title against Sam Shewmaker. Hector Lombard and Joe Riggs, both well-known names to UFC fans, would anchor the co-feature, with 205lb gold on the line. Luis Palomino put his 155lb belt on the line opposite Tyler Goodjohn, while Thiago Alves, another well-known name to UFC fans, threw down with Ulysses Diaz for the vacant 175lb belt.

BKFC 18 was set to go down live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL on Friday, June 26. The action airs live on PPV via BKTVAPP.com 

Check below for full results.

BKFC 18: Beltran vs. Shewmaker Results

Main Card

Joey Beltran (c) def. Sam Shewmaker by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) – for the Police Gazette and BKFC heavyweight championship
Hector Lombard def. Joe Riggs by TKO (eye injury), Round 4, 1:07 – for the BKFC cruiserweight championship
Thiago Alves def. Ulysses Diaz by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 3, 2:00 – for the inaugutal BKFC middleweight championship
Luis Palomino (c) def. Tyler Goodjohn by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) – for the Police Gazette and BKFC lightweight titles
Pearl Gonzalez def. Charisa Sigala by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
Julian Lane def. Jake Bostwick by unanimous decision (50-44, 50-43, 48-45)
Jarod Grant def. Travis Thompson by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 4, 0:35
Eddie Hoch def. Bruce Lutchmedial by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
Steve Herelius def. Juan Torres by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
Francesco Ricchi def. Brian Maxwell by TKO (right uppercut), Round 2, 1:25

Preliminary card

Montaser Aboughaly def. Luke Parsons via KO (referee stoppage after three knockdowns), Round 1, 0:34
Josh Alvarez def. Paul Teague by KO (overhand right), Round 1, 0:17
Yosdenis Cedeno def. Alan Arzeno by split decision (46-49, 49-46, 49-46)
Eduardo Concepcion def. Gabe Brown by KO, Round 1, 0:05

The post BKFC 18: Beltran vs. Shewmaker Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Alves had been all set to take on Phil Baroni, until Baroni failed to provide medicals in a timely fashion, and left the promotion unable to reach him. After losing contact with a main event fighter, Julian Lane of “Let me Bang, Bro!” fame was brought in to welcome Alves to bare knuckle.

The end result was a split decision win for Alves in his debut. It was the co-main event, however, that may have stolen the show. Former UFC fighter and Bellator MMA champ Hector Lombard faced another UFC vet, Kendall Grove — and flattened him in less than two minutes.

https://twitter.com/LilHodko/status/1304618731688124416

While he picked up the win, it was not an easy night at his new office for Thiago “Pitbull” Alves.

Damnn Thiago Alves' eye after the fight pic.twitter.com/REoQgcNZHW

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) September 12, 2020

Full results form the event can be found below

BKFC 12: Alves vs. Lane Results

Thiago Alves def. Julian Lane by split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
Hector Lombard def. Kendall Grove by TKO (punch), Round 1, 1:50
Reggie Barnett Jr def. Abdiel Velazquez by unanimous decision (50-43, 50-43, 50-43)
Christine Ferea def. Calie Cutler by TKO (strikes), Round 2, 1:27
Lorenzo Hunt def. Erick Lozano by KO (punch), Round 3, 1:58
Josh Dyer def. Jarred Warren by TKO (referee stoppage), Round 3, 1:16
Joe Elmore def. Tom Shoaff by unanimous decision (49-42, 49-42, 49-43)
Jarod Grant def. Joshua Bourdreaux by TKO (referee stoppage), Round 2, 1:23
Kenmon Evans def. Robert Washington by KO (punch), Round 1:39
Rusty Crowder def. Jacob Brunelle by unanimous decision (47-45, 47-45, 48-44)

The post BKFC 12: Alves vs. Lane Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

“It was a little bit of a last-minute change. I didn’t know honestly until I saw it online. Guess there was a miscommunication between my management and their management,” Alves told Cageside Press recently. “I literally took a nap then I woke up, looked at Instagram, and saw that my opponent changed.”

The switch-up did little to dissuade Alves and the circumstances actually seem even more favorable for the former UFC welterweight title challenger.

“No worries, I’m prepared. When you’re in shape, when you’re ready, it doesn’t matter who you fight….The good thing about Lane is he has a lot of fights in bare-knuckle boxing. So we’re able to actually come up with a phenomenal strategy to pick him apart and put him away,” explained Alves. “So I actually like this match-up better.”

Alves sees Lane as a hungry, young guy coming to throw down. That being said, he had said that he thinks he will put Lane away in either the third or fourth round.

Farewell UFC, Hello BKFC

The tenured UFC veteran has been stirring up intrigue with this fight and many are curious to see him in a bare-knuckle setting. “Thank god for all my years of MMA. I’ve built up a good platform,” Alves told us. “Everybody knows I always come to fight. Making the switch to bare-knuckle boxing, I’m bringing a little bit of my fanbase.”

Alves continued, adding “You get cut a lot. That’s the reality of it. It’s just bones and knuckles against a face and the flesh is very fragile. I’m excited and it’s a very safe sport. Not really worried about getting cut.”

Having been to BKFC 10 live, Alves was impressed. Years with the UFC and seeing how finely tuned of a machine they are, Alves was impressed with BKFC’s efficiency in promoting their February live event.

Their BKFC 11 return card after the COVID-19 event hiatus was at a reduced capacity and this show too will have a select amount of fans in attendance. “David [Feldman] said it’s going to be about fifty percent capacity but to keep everybody safe probably keep it to 35ish.”

BKFC 12

Thiago Alves has been mixing in different MMA and boxing gloves for his pre-fight preparations. MMA gloves work from the same distance as bare-knuckle for Alves. His first five MMA fights were bare-knuckle in Brazil but it was MMA w/ headbutts.

The aforementioned enthusiasm for Thiago Alves going to BKFC is not just isolated to fight fans but the man himself is thrilled at the prospect of toeing the line.

“It’s a whole new fight for me. I’m used to having so many different tools and so many different other things to worry about. Now its kind of narrowed down a little bit and how I’m going to go about using the tools that I have,” he stated. “It’s fun, man. I’ve always been a huge fan of boxing. I love the sweet science. I’m a striker by trade.”

Alves continued, “It fits me well. This fighting style. The ring being a little bit smaller. The two-minute rounds with one-minute rest. It’s crazy, I never had this ability to just explode and rest, explode and rest. It fits my body type as well.”

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BKFC 11 went down Saturday night, and with the event came a slew of announcements. The main event saw Luis Palomino defeating Isaac Vallie-Flag in the super welterweight tournament final, but the bigger news was the fights that were announced for their fall schedule. And the promotion’s move to DAZN. Since BKFC’s first event in 2018, the promotion has been broadcast on YouTube and FiteTV, however DAZN will now show select BKFC events. According to a graphic shown on the broadcast, the first event shown will be BKFC 12 on August 21, where the main event is expected to be Helen Peralta taking on Christine Ferea.

However, the bigger fights for the promotion are expected to be later in the year, starting with BKFC 13 on September 9. The main event is expected to be a battle of UFC veterans as Thiago Alves takes on another UFC alum, Phil Baroni. Alves is coming off the heels of his exit from the UFC and is making his bare-knuckle debut. Baroni on the other hand is looking to rebound from a loss in his bare-knuckle debut to Chris Leben in 2018. The co-main event of the card is expected to be another battle of former UFC veterans, as Hector Lombard takes on Kendall Grove. Lombard successfully made his bare-knuckle debut earlier this year, while Grove is looking to rebound after a knockout loss at BKFC 3.

The last event announcement was BKFC 14 on October 16, with the main event featuring former boxing champion Shannon Briggs making his promotional debut. Briggs was signed to Bare Knuckle FC earlier this year and is looking to compete for the first time since 2016. Briggs holds a record of 60-6-1 and holds notable wins over the likes of George Foreman, Ray Mercer, and Siarhei Liakhovich. His opponent for the event was not announced.

The post BKFC Announces DAZN Deal, Fall Schedule Including Thiago Alves Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

Thiago Alves is a UFC fighter no more. At least for the time being, Alves (23-15 MMA) has signed an exclusive deal with bareknuckle boxing organization Bare Knuckle FC. BKFC has made a splash over the past year and a half, scooping up a number of former UFC stars including Artem Lobov, Jason Knight, Chris Leben, Chase Sherman, Bigfoot Silva, Joey Beltran, Hector Lombard, and others.

Per a press release Wednesday, you can add Thiago Alves to that list. Pitbull last competed in December, suffering a loss at UFC on ESPN 7 to Tim Means. That marked the end of his UFC contract. Alves had been clear leading up to the fight that while he wanted to remain with the company, he was looking for the best offer possible.

It seems BKFC came through with that.

“I’m very excited to be part of the BKFC family,” said Alves in a statement in Wednesday’s press release. “I’m looking forward to testing my skills against anyone in my weight class. The ‘Pitbull’ is thirsty for blood!”

“Thiago Alves has been a staple in the UFC for a long time,” said David Feldman, BKFC President and Founder in the same release. “It’s amazing to have a fighter of this stature, and of this caliber, fighting for BKFC. Alves brings it each and every time he gets into the ring. On top of being a great fighter, he’s also a great person. That’s who we are aligning ourselves with. We can’t wait to have Thiago make his debut in April or May.”

Alves famously challenged Canadian legend and all-time great Georges St. Pierre for the UFC welterweight championship in 2009 at UFC 100. Things got rocky after that, with Alves going 6-9 in the years that followed. A failed attempt at moving down to lightweight saw him miss weight in a loss to Jim Miller at UFC 205. Alves would finish out his UFC run at welterweight. His final victory was a controversial split decision win over Max Griffin in February last year.

The post Thiago Alves Signs on with Bare Knuckle FC, Spring Debut Planned appeared first on Cageside Press.

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)

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