Matt Brown set to face Thiago Alves at UFC on Fox Sports 1
The first UFC of Fox Sports 1 card has apparently added an intriguing matchup to its young lineup. Surging welterweight Matt Brown will welcome Thiago Alves back to the Octagon this August when the UFC makes its way into Boston.
Brown was last seen dismantling young prospect Jordan Mein in a war at UFC on Fox 7. There’s not too many more welterweights with the momentum that Brown has going right now, and a win over Alves would further bolster his resume. It’s also a good gauge for his striking, as Alves has always been noted for his impressive Muay Thai.
On the other hand, there are a lot of questions surrounding Alves heading into this bout. We haven’t seen him fight since March of last year when he lost to Martin Kampmann via homerun submission in the third round. Alves was thoroughly dominating Kampmann in the standup game, but surprisingly shot for a double leg that ultimately spelled his doom. Since then he’s battled a litany of injuries, the most severe being surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.
No contract has been signed, but MMA Fighting has reported that sources close to the subject have confirmed the bout. The card will mark the switch of all major UFC programming over to Fox Sports 1. A long-awaited bout between Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva has been rumored for the main event in Boston, but that has not been made official yet either. The inaugural event for the channel should be an exciting one, as Boston fans love their fights. Can ‘The Immortal’ break through into the top wrungs of the UFC 170 lb. arena?
