Here's a look at the post-fight comments from Thiago Alves and Matt Hughes after Alves' convincing victory at UFC 85:
Hughes sounded resigned to the fact that the two younger welterweights who have beaten him in his two last fights -- Alves and Georges St.-Pierre -- will always be better than him. But he also sounded confident that he can remain a competitive fighter in UFC. I say, more power to him.
For his part, Alves claimed that his failure to make weight for the fight was an aberration caused by a sprained ankle he suffered in training, but that he always makes weight with no problems. I just don't buy that.
Alves is simply too big to be a welterweight. He weighed in at 174 for yesterday's fight and almost always weighs in at 171 for other fights, taking advantage of the one-pound buffer rule. If he has trouble making weight at age 24, I'm extremely skeptical that he'll make weight as he gets older, as almost all athletes get bigger in their mid- and late-20s. Alves should think seriously about moving up to middleweight.
And Dana White should tell him that he won't get a welterweight title shot until he beats a good welterweight fighter the day after weighing in at 169 or lower.
Hughes sounded resigned to the fact that the two younger welterweights who have beaten him in his two last fights -- Alves and Georges St.-Pierre -- will always be better than him. But he also sounded confident that he can remain a competitive fighter in UFC. I say, more power to him.
For his part, Alves claimed that his failure to make weight for the fight was an aberration caused by a sprained ankle he suffered in training, but that he always makes weight with no problems. I just don't buy that.
Alves is simply too big to be a welterweight. He weighed in at 174 for yesterday's fight and almost always weighs in at 171 for other fights, taking advantage of the one-pound buffer rule. If he has trouble making weight at age 24, I'm extremely skeptical that he'll make weight as he gets older, as almost all athletes get bigger in their mid- and late-20s. Alves should think seriously about moving up to middleweight.
And Dana White should tell him that he won't get a welterweight title shot until he beats a good welterweight fighter the day after weighing in at 169 or lower.
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