Breaking News: Hughes vs. Alves, UFC 85

[Masscore]

I like Alves, he is a very exicting and fun fighter to watch. That being said, Hughes is a horrible match-up for him. I see this fight going like Hughes v. Riggs did. A little stand-up, Hughes will take him down then Kimura the shit out of Alves' arm. Hughes in the first via Kimura.

[Dork8503]

Originally Posted by thecoylewis

Yea, Hughes camp sucks. It's only full of world champions. Fuck that.

LOL, its only full of world champions. Who, Robbie Lawler. Who else.

Lawler is good, but he isn't great. I doubt he will be champ much longer any way i got him getting knocked out in his next fight.

I am a huge Hughes fan, have been for a long time. But i think all the fights Hughes has had, the wars he has been in, the times he has been knocked out and everything else on top of training for the last 20 years in wrestling and everything else, has taken a toll.

Hughes is on his way out, there is no shame in that.

The sport is evolving, and Hughes isn't on the good end of evolution.

I really like both fighters, but i would like to see Thiago take this one. I want Thiago to win to prove he is the real deal and that he is a huge threat to anyone.

Thiago has the right camp, and the right tools to win this fight. If he wins will it really be considered a upset, imo it won't.

Also if he wins, i believe this would put him in the top 4 or top 3 ww's in the world only behind Fitch and GSP.

I mean beating Hughes and Karo back to back, def puts you in the top 5.

Thiago has to sprawl an brawl. I see thiago training on trying to use knees to stop the shots and to sprawl an beat matt up standing.

I have Thiago by tko in the second.

If he can't stop the take downs, then hughes will win.

[smoogy]

Originally Posted by thecoylewis

Alves was a no name a year ago and he beats Karo and all of a sudden people are saying he can beat Matt Hughes. Come on, give me a break. Just because GSP made Hughes look old doesn't mean he's the punk everyone is making him out to be.

I agree, Alves record at 7-2 looks good on paper until you look at who he beat. With the exception of Chris Lytle, no one else stands out. Who cares about Karo, we all know he's overrated to begin with. His only real tests were Fitch and Spencer Fisher and he lost BOTH of those. This one will be over early, Hughes by submission 2 minutes 27 seconds, round 1. Serra, be prepared, in Decemeber, you get your last taste of the the spotlight because you're next.

Now if they add Leben-Bisping as a co-main event, this thing will be worth buying. Don't be surprised if they add that too. Bisping said the other day in an interview that he wants to fight again soon and you know if they can put togeter a fight for him in England, he'd fight on NO NOTICE.

lol, so he looks good on paper... until you decide he doesn't look good on paper. If you actually care to watch his fights, you'd know Alves is a beast

[Lefthookstcrook]

I think ALves got a good shot at winning this, As long as he keeps it on his feet. We've all seen how hughes does when he cant get the TD, he gets beat up. Penn was handiling him soundly till he gas/got injured. GSP merked him standing to. If Alves can brawl n sprawl i see this looking somewhat like tito/chuck, Alves being chuck. If hughes cant take him down its gonna be a long night for hughes. But if hughes takes Alves down at will, that= long night for Alves.

Im going with Alves Tko Rd3

[Robthom]

Great matchmaking. That never even occurred to me. Great test for Thiago, we'll find out if he's really as improved as he seems after this.
Also I dont think either of them will be considered a loser if they both show well. Either Hughes loses to a rapidly improving prospect who could be the next big thing, or Thiago loses to one of the best welterweights in the world and is young enough to become even stronger from it.

[lilp86]

Well this one and Bisping Leben are official now both on the UFC's website. This card is actualy lookin pretty damn good now if you ask me especially if it is gonna be on spike

[Ishikari]

This is a make or break fight for Hughes

Hughes wins, he's back on track and possibly a win againt Serra for another shot at the belt.

Alves wins-Alves will be straight in there as a contender and maybe fight Koscheck. I think if Hughes loses he could be a fight away from retirement.

[Mac]

Originally Posted by thecoylewis

And you think they are going to have NOTHING to do with him training for a fight. He only left Miletich to run his own gym in Illinois. Lawler and Horn still follow him around everywhere. If you really think Hughes isn't going to get the best training possible, you're delusional. I like the Mayhem Miller picture though. The UFC needs to bring him back.

I don't consider Lawler a world champ. He's the champ of a second tier promotion at this point and Horn is nowhere near world champ level.

And no, I don't think the guys at Militich have much to do with him, he left to start his own gym as you say and they have their own gym and fighters to worry about. Bottom line is Lawler hasn't been able to turn Hughes into a striker yet so it aint gonna happen.

I can see Hughes winning this fight, I just think at this point Alves has more tools than him. It's like Dork said, Hughes is on the wrong side of evolution and even if he wins this fight, he will never have a chance to be champ while GSP is around.

[AJL416AZ]

Thiago is going to work Matt Hughes over. shut down his telegraphed shots and punish him standing up, and take the win.

[earle]

I know Hughes should take this one on paper, but then again Karo should have also.

I say Alves by TKO in a mild upset. I mean damn, Karo barely even got one of his patented Judo throws on the guy, and Karo usually manages to throw everybody a few times at least. Alves didn't even look tired.

Hughes still has the power and strength, but he's slow as molasses now, and Thiago only needs one strike to end it.