Thiago Alves will not fight Jon Fitch at UFC 111 on Saturday night after pre-fight medical examinations revealed what could be a serious brain irregularity.UFC President Dana White confirmed to TMZ.com that a CAT Scan shows an irregularity involving an artery in Alves's brain. Alves will visit a specialist for further evaluation.
White told TMZ the problem "can be career-ending."
The UFC announced that Fitch will not fight at UFC 111 and that the Kurt Pellegrino vs. Fabricio Camoes lightweight fight will appear on the pay-per-view card, but news later broke that Fitch would fight Ben Saunders.
The irregularity in Alves' brain was apparently discovered during a CAT scan performed as part of the licensing process mandated the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. It is not clear whether Alves had undergone CAT scans prior to previous fights; not all states require them as part of pre-fight screening.
The 26-year-old Alves was supposed to be making his return to the Octagon for the first time since losing to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100. Alves is widely regarded as one of the top three welterweights in the world, along with St. Pierre and Fitch.
.fanhouseButton {margin:2em 0;} .fanhouseButton a:link, .fanhouseButton a:visited, .fanhouseButton a:hover, .fanhouseButton a:active {background-color:#dd2829;color:#FFFFFF;font-size:18px;padding:0.3em 0.6em;text-decoration:none;} .fanhouseButton a:hover {background-color:#000000;}
Get the latest gear
