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Thiago Alves vs. John Howard targeted for UFC 124 | MMAjunkie.com

Thiago Alves vs. John Howard targeted for UFC 124

by John Morgan and Steven Marrocco on Sep 02, 2010 at 5:15 pm ET

Well, you can't always get what you want.

One day after Thiago Alves (17-7 MMA, 9-4 UFC) welcomed a fight with Mike Pierce, who on Tuesday called him out on MMAjunkie.com Radio, the former contender is now expected to meet John Howard (14-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at UFC 124.

Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that verbal agreements are in place and contracts will be sent out shortly.

While not officially announced by the promotion, UFC 124 is expected to take place Dec. 11 at the Bell Centre in Montreal and feature a welterweight title fight between current champion Georges St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck, who coach opposite each another on "The Ultimate Fighter 12." It's the promotion's fourth trip to the Canadian city.

Alves is looking for redemption after his most recent performance. The American Top Team standout met perennial contender Jon Fitch at UFC 117 this past August and lost a unanimous decision. Added to the sting of defeat was his struggle to make weight for the contest. He showed up one pound over and was fined 20 percent of his fight purse by commission officials.

Alves appeared flat and tired throughout the three-round contest, his first fight in more than a year after multiple medical issues twice delayed the fight, a rematch of a 2006 contest in which Fitch took home a TKO victory. Afterward, UFC president Dana White chastised Alves for missing weight and not-so-subtly hinted that the Brazilian would be moving up a weight class to middleweight.

But Alves said he would be at a competitive disadvantage in the middleweight division, and he subsequently convinced the promotion to give him another shot at 170 pounds. He hired nutritionist Mike Dolce and said Wednesday that he is walking around at 193 pounds, much lighter than his usual "off-season" weight of 205 pounds.

Howard was most recently seen at UFC on Versus 2 this past month and left unfinished business inside the octagon when he met Jake Ellenberger. After some successful exchanges, Ellenberger took the fight down and landed several elbows that caused Howard's left eye to rapidly swell. Doctors intervened in the third round when it became clear Howard couldn't see and the TKO victory went to Ellenberger.

Prior to the setback, Howard was on the ramp up the 170-pound class with four consecutive wins, including a thunderous KO victory over Daniel Roberts that earned him a "Knockout of the Night" at UFC on Versus 1.

A win over Alves would undoubtedly put Howard on the fast track to contendership.

[b1uef1ow]

A Muay Thai fight in the Octagon awesome!

[Rumble]

This should be a sick fight and could end up being a real war. Snakebite was saying there aren't enough striker vs. striker match ups, well here is one seriously heavy handed one. Looking forward ot this.

The only thing I don't like about this is that I was hoping the fight was Pierce was going to force Thiago to work on his wrestling. Doomsday likes to stand and bang and has some real heavy hands, so I don't think Thiago will really feel the pressure to work on his wrestling for this fight. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

[McTee]

John Howard is also one of the shortest Welterweights on the UFC roster, listed at 5'7. Given Thiago Alves' short reach for a WW, I wouldn't be surprised if this fight was tailor-made for both these fighters.

[xraygex]

Even though this is going to be a war. I think its bullshit how jake ellenberger just beat howard and yet howard gets a top 10 opponent ? if they dont hook ellenberger up with a legit contender iam gonna be pissed.

[pantomime horse]

Love this matchup. I'm hoping Howard takes him.

[CHAEL fan]

War Doomsday!

[stpierrecanada]

I'm kinda seeing this the same way Fitch/Alves went if Haward somes in with a good game-plan.. Howard's TD's and GnP are great and I dunno if Alves can keep fighting at 170 and look his best.

[aussiemma]

love this match up, could this be the end of thiago ? very dangerous fight for him !

[TheKidInside]

He looked in AMAZING shape at the Expo, his eye looked perfectly fine too and I got a CLOSE look, he is short as fuck and will demlosh Alvez on the ground in route to a R2 TKO