[MickeyKnox]

Thiago Alves up for fighting Dan Hardy in England | UFC News | ESPN.co.uk

Thiago Alves witnessed firsthand as Dan Hardy got knocked out by Carlos Condit at UFC 120, but he admits he would love to fight the Briton in the future.

Hardy suffered the first KO of his MMA career in a first-round loss to Condit on Saturday, making it two defeats on the spin following his failed title shot against Georges St-Pierre. The Outlaw now faces a 30-day medical suspension, after which he will set about erasing the pain of his latest loss as soon as possible.

The UFC is known to have a liking for putting two fighters who are coming off defeats both in the same Octagon, which makes a Hardy v Alves collision a possibility after the Brazilian's loss to Jon Fitch. And Alves admits he would happily fight Hardy in England if that was what the UFC had in mind.

"I don't pick my fights, but if Joe Silva says we should match up, I think it'd be a great fight for me. I think he's a great fighter, so let's do it," Alves told ESPN. "I really don't have a specific place to fight in. Once I step in the Octagon, that's home for me. So if it happens to be here [in England], good. If it's in American, that's fine. Brazil? I'm ready for that too."

Those words would appear to confirm that Alves is staying in the welterweight division, despite failing to cut weight for his Fitch encounter. UFC president Dana White stated clearly that he believes The Pitbull belongs at middleweight, but Alves is adamant he will stay at 170lbs.