This is what it’s all about.
Two of the top — and most exciting — 170-pound fighters in the world will likely collide at UFC 89: “Leben vs. Bisping” at The NIA in Birmingham, England, on October 19.
Indeed, MMAWeekly.com is reporting that Thiago Alves (15-3) and Diego Sanchez (19-2) will throw leather overseas, setting the stage for a blockbuster welterweight showdown that will more than likely determine the next number one title contender in the stacked division.
Alves is fresh of ridiculous performance against Matt Hughes, taking out the former champion in the second round of their main event tilt at UFC 85: “Bedlam” just last month. Prior to that, “The Pitbull” wiped out another perennial powerhouse, Karo Parisyan, at UFC Fight Night 13.
The 24-year-old Brazilian was already on the fast track to an eventual title shot. And a win over Sanchez would certainly put him over the top.
“The Nightmare” has rebounded from back-to-back losses in 2007 to stop Luigi Fioravanti and David Bielkheden, respectively, in equally impressive fights. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season one winner seems to have recaptured his form that had most pundits expecting that he would one day soon challenge for a belt.
Again, a win over a very explosive fighter such as Alves will put him right there.
Talk about a great fight.
UFC 89 features the middleweight clash between Michael Bisping and Chris Leben — expect more bouts to be added to the line up in the near future.
So far so good.
131 Comments »
Great Fight!
Very Suprising how much Diego gets so much hate but looks like the majority are rooting for Diego!
I have always been a Diego fan! His fights are the best to watch in MMA! Exciting fast paced. other than his two losses! (Fitch & KOS)
YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Now this is a fight. Just last week when I was talking about next opponent for Sanchez, I said that Thiago Alvez should be at the top of the list. And if Thiago can make wieght (John), then this just might be a number one contender fight to fight the winner of GSP/Fitch.
Who else can make a claim to being the #1 contender?
And Karo Parysian is not a valid answer! LOL
No worries VM, Alves is aware of the weight criticism and he knows it looks bad for his title shot aspirations, so he will make weight for this fight with EASE!
Because this event is Free on Spike, I have a feeling that the UFC will schedule pay per view, shortly after this one. It seems like when ever they give us a free pay per view, another event will be booked right around the corner, probably in an effort to counter Affliction’s 2nd event around November 1st.
I love competition!
I think Mania said they are planning a PPV for the following week!!!
I am soo on point! Thanks for the heads up!
I’m very pschyed about this match-up. I’ve been sayin these 2 need to go at it. I was at Diego’s 2 losees at 69 and 76. It seems like his coaches suck. They don’t let him open up. 69 all he did was box( 2nd worst fight in the history of the UFC after Quarrys last agaist that sissy). At 76 nothing but BJJ. Even in this last fight, he could’ve ground and pounded Luigi out many times, but his dumbass coach kept stressing BJJ. Love Diego’s other fights though. Just wish he’d go with his instincts more instead of his coach’s advice. Hope he smashes Alves, gets busted for diuretic then can’t make weight.Go to 185 alreaY.
excellent fight!
And yes, winner get title shot! diego has been winning his last fights in convincing fashion as well as alves. Plus, there was a point where diego deserved a title shot, yet he never got one. I am excited w this matchup because we really do get to see 2 top contenders, not fitch vs etc or fitch vs another no name…(prior to GSP of course) or kos vs no name. fitch’s last two fights should have been against KOS or hughes imo. My point is that they should be matching up the best of the best and somehow, i haven seen that out of the last KOS or fitch fights.
“fitch vs another no name”??? I don’t know if you just started watching UFC but Fitch beat Diego and KO’d Alves.
That said, I think it is about time the UFC gives a great contender fight; I was pushing for Fitch Vs. Karo but that never happened, to Alves’s benefit…
One more item… If Kos wins and Fitch wins, I’d bet that Kos would turn into the #1 contender no matter the outcome of the Alves/Diego fight.
This is as clear of a no 1 contender eliminator as Huerta vs Florian.
The winner gets GSP (after he batters Fitch) its that simple.
THats what the F I am talking about!!!!! My boy Tiago will put his hard hat back on and go to work. Diego is the one thats going to be having nightmares, bet that!
I am a big Diego Sanchez fan, but I got to roll with Alves. Diego has gotten back on track by defeating watered down opponents, while Alves has been taking out the BIG Gunz in highlight fashion! Alves’s takedown defense is much improved and Diego will be forced to stand n trade which will make for a very exciting match up. Diego’s stand up looks to be better than ever, but in all HOnesty, it wont be up to par with Alves’s, who has the best striking in the division!
Cant wait to see Alves test Diego’s “Mexican Jaw”…should be very interesting!
alves will make weight EASILY, Defeat Diego and await the winner of GSP/Penn.
The standup advantage undoubtedly goes to Thiago. If the fight did hit the ground, advantage Diego. Thiago is one of the largest WW’s. Diego is one of the smallest WW’s. Diego is going to be at a big disadvantage in the strength department. Like John said, Thiago’s takedown defense has really improved and Hughes couldn’t take him down. Hughes’s shots were pretty pathetic though. Diego would mix in strikes before going for a takedown.
This fight along with the Leben/Bisping fight are two of the most intriguing matchups in a while. I am VERY excited for this event already.
Yeah damn skippy, this is really exciting! Diego without a doubt has the advantage on the ground. The problem for Diego is that Takedown defense is an easy skill to improve on. Just in the past months we have seen Alves, Machida, and Luigi Fioravanti all dramatically improve their takedown defense, in a short period of time. By the time October rolls around, Alves will be even harder to takedown. Diego will have to do something because if he couldnt get Luigi down, I doubt he will get alves down to the floor!
No matter how much Diego’s stand up has improved, it wont be on par with Alves’s… That Mexican Jaw will be put to the test, and I say it will fail!
Alves 3rd round TKO!!!~ It wont be easy though, this will be a freaking WAR!
Strikefest + Grounding-and-pounding = WAR!!
Yes sir!~
Hell yeah! I’ve been waiting for this one. I saw Diego’s fights at 69 and 76, which sucked, cause they were losses.69 he only would box, at 76 only BJJ. I hope he opens up against Alves like he used to, and doesn’t listen to his dumbass corner. He could’ve Ground and pounded Luigi so many times, but his jackass corner kept stressin’ the BJJ. I hope he smashes Alves, can’t stand that dude. Gets busted for diuretics, then can’t make weight against Hughes. G to 185 already.
This is a good fight for both fighters. I don’t think Alves is deserving of a title shot just yet and Diego is re-establishing himself as a top contender. A win for either will position them closer to the top of the WW division.
Great Fight!!!!
Thank you!
I have been calling for this fight for months, perfect fight.
Yeah man, you and me both. This fight is gonna be wicked.
this definitely has the potential to be the fight of the year. Both are very aggressive and put the pressure on. Im pulling for diego in this one.
Im pumped for this fight…I love alves’s stand up but I really see Diego making the mistake of thinking that he could stand with Luigi so he can stand with Thiago. He is hard headed enough to believe that he can stand with Thiago.
I like Diego but he’s going to sleep.
Thiago TKO 2nd round.
the winner will fight for the title after b.j. vs gsp/fitch winner on new years. just my opinion though, not a fact. id bet that is the way it happens!
NICE!!!! What good news. I can’t call it yet. My initial thought is that Diego might take this one. Sorry Tiago.
Thiago better freakin’ make weight. ‘Great Matchup’!!
haha seriously man, Thiago making weight would be epic but this fight is going to be INSANE regardless! My heart tells me Diego but my brain says Thiago will win. I think Thiago’s momentum and confidence levels are super high after beating Karo and Hughes.
This is one of those cards that doesn’t have a blockbuster main-event but has four or five solid fights… Great Fight!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!
Now THIS is a fight that gets my attention. I’d sure like to see Thiago kick Diego’s butt, but somehow, I think it’ll be closer than that. If Thiago can’t make weight I say kick him out of the UFC…
or force him up to middleweight
Already setting up for 89. Does any one have any Idea what other fights will be on ufc 88?
Liddell vs evans but you probably already know that.
i don’t think these fights have been confirmed yet but there suppose to be happening…
Rich Franklin Vs. Matt Hamill (205lbs)
Dan Henderson Vs. Rousimar Palhares
Karo Parisyan Vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Tim Boetsch Vs. James Lee
Great thanks. Franklin/Hamil sounds like a better main event then Chuck/Evans.
you on crack Franklin/Hamill better PPV than Evans/Lidell!
Chuck vs. Evans is going to be better than people think. I mean when Rashad’s head goes flying into the crowd after a brutal KO people are going to scream in excitement. Franklin/Hamil? not so much…
Where does Koscheck fit in with all this? Does he (if he wins) fight the winner of this fight or what? Bring on the damn grand prix!!
Maybe Kos vs Swick or Huerta when he moves up to 170?
kos won’t fight swick training partners
well then Kos can take his bleeched hair and go the fuk home… im sick of hearin about how “fighters” wont fight eachother. i understand u train together but suk it up, its business, the business THEY chose to be in. ur supposed to be a fighter so FIGHT whoever they put in front of u, whether it be a stranger, friend or enemy. just get ur job done.some good fights are when the 2 guys have trained together before or friends..sorry it was so long this subject pisses me off
agreed. it shouldn’t be about friends fight friends…it should be about what fights are best for the fans and what will sell tickets. man i hate KOS!
they agreed to fight if it was for the belt, as did fitch lol they said until they clear out the division AKA guys wont fight each other.. total BS i know but hey it’s how you gotta be to keep a friend and fight in the same weight class,and i think thiago wont make weight in this one and lose to diego diego is way more skilled then thiago,and more experienced, also he is coming off those 2 losses so hes much hungrier and more agressive
on a side note i think if irvin upsets anderson on the 19th which could happen, he and chuck will fight for a shot
GO DIEGO GO!
Someone should probably begin the funeral arrangements for Diego “slow-talking” Sanchez
Come on man no one has ever hurt diego in any of his fights he has never been dominated. He lost a split decision to Fitch who already beat thiago, that could have gone either way and Kos which was as boring as they get. Its gonna be a very competitive fight but no one is dominating diego not by a long shot.
Very good match-up….We havn’t see Thiago use his leg kicks like he did when he fought Lytle….I believe that will be key in this fight…Alves should have the upper hand on Diego when it comes to the stand-up game, although Diego’s stand-up looks much better his success depends on taking the fight to the ground and try and expose Thiago on his back, with that said Thiago will utilize that flying knee he used on hughes when Sanchez comes flying in face first for the takedown….I predict Thiago by 2nd TKO…..lets see if he can make weight!
I thought Alves did a great job Stopping hughes from doing anything while on his back. His gaurd was just so tight, Hughes couldnt pass gaurd nor could he land any effective strikes. IMO, if Sanchez does get him down he wont be able to do anything with it.
I can’t wait for this fight. My friend and I were just talking about how much we would like to see it.
Lets go Diego!
After the Ultimate Finale my friends and I were wondering about the same thing. It would be one hell of a fight.
This fight should be a barn burner as will Leben and Bisbing. Now they should add the Axe Murderer vs. the African Assassin.
barn burner? who are you Jim Ross all of a sudden?
then it would be a “slobberknocker”.
oh damn! you’re right. i need to get my JR quotes in check!
They should have put the axe murderer against Anderson Silva.
Sweet I called it!
this should be the main event, hopefully winner gets next title shot, but alves will murder him
has anyone heard anything new about ghono? it seems like forever since his injury occured.
Bw: Thats what I want to know. I always ask about him. I am one of his biggest American fans! I love that guy. HOpefully the UFC lets him do one of his Crazy enterances next time around!
I would like to see Akahiro Gono comeback and fight Marcus Davis….that would be very entertaining!
yes! that would be a great fight. i think i would slightly favor gono, no disrespect to davis though.
Im with you on that as well. Gono is No Joke and extremely under rated! THe dude is crafty, he has fought against some pretty big dudes like Dan Henderson, so Davis’s strength shouldnt be too uch for Gono to handle.
Look at us, talking like this fight has alreday been booked! lol
Please let me know if u hear anything about Gono on the rumor mill.
i will and you do the same.
Two PPVs in a row that dont have title fights WTF?!?!? Dana one of these better be free or at ufc 90 you owe us, like two title fights or something. Your taking advantage of are adicction to MMA! Even if there not free Im still buying because if I dont I might get withdrawl.
People said the same thing about UFC 85 and that turned out to be a great night of fights.
Cheer up buddy. This event is FREE!!!!!!
I think since Thaigo is so much bigger he may be able to over power Deigo, but I just don’t know.
I hope diego get KTFO.
I’d give your hopes a 90% chance of coming true
This is a great fight! Sanchez will be able to get Thiago down, unlike hughes.
I don’t think so. His wrestling is improving drastically. It will be an explosive fight regardless!
Also, note how tight Thiago was in full gaurd. Hughes could do nothing once he had Alves on his back. hughes couldnt pass gaurd no could he land any effective strikes. Ive never seen anyone nuetulize hughes like that from their back. So even if sanchez can get him there im not sure he could do anything with it. As long as Alves makes weight I will have to go with alves.
Please Thiago, KO that dirty bastard. Diego will have no game plan after leaving Jackson’s camp to handle Thiago. I don’t think that a fighter that can’t make weight (no excuse) a title shot. If he, Thiago, beats Young Dirty Bastard, then he may have an argument. Thiago by 2nd round KO due to Dirty’s over inflated confidence in his hands and kicks. Thiago’s camp is just too strong. Nighty-Night Dirty.
PS: I don’t like Diego. Great fighter though.
100% agree whit you
i like Diego but I would rather see him at 55. he shouldn’t have left Greg Jackson’s camp…what an idiot. He was on top of the world and he looked like an animal but jealousy (in the form of GSP) took over.
gets a title shot. sorry all
betting the house on Sanchez
you will homeless
sorry. you will be homeless
Agreed…..homeless
i live in an apartment so can i bet the sub-lease?
i’m speechless
AGREED,, THIAGO TOO ONE DEMINSIONAL TO BEAT SANCHEZ!!!!! CANT WAIT TIL SANCHEZ DESTROYS FITCH AND KOSCHECK IN REMATCHES!!!!!!!!
As much as this fight would have any mma fan excited to watch it, I would still like to see Kos and Diego throwdown again, there was so much hype for that fight and ended probally being the second to worst fight in UFC history ( behind Starnes and Quarry of course). Somebody asked where does KOS get left in all of this…In a way he’s been put aside due to a loss already to GSP? Perhaps this Alves-Sanchez has to happen first or should the winner of a KOS-Sanchez re-match get to go with Thiago for an absolute #1 contender. With KOS fighting this weekend can answer an abundunt questions….or does it just ask more?
If thiago doesn’t make weight I’m sure Dana will give him the axe
digeo has beatn better guys than alves
Thiago trains with 18 BJJ Black Belts. I don’t think that he will have too much trouble with Dirty…I just don’t.
Beaten better guys than Alves? who?
Fioravanti?
Diaz?
Parisyan?
Riggs?
Alessio?
Gassaway?
Bielkheden?
Ur trippin
None of these guys are better than thiago. He already ‘KO’ed Parisyan.
I said Back when Thiago Knocked out Derrick Noble that he was going to be a top contender maybe even a champion in a year and a half or 2 …now look at him… knocking the shit out of people he faces.
Thiago is going to beat the shit out of Diego. Sorry Diego but your way back up is going to be shortened again.
THIAGO by tko in the 2nd round
Diego will get his ass handed to him. Great fight though.
Truthfully I only dilsike one fighter, for no legitimate reasons of course, Diego Sanchez. Its not just his wierd zen/wiccan/christian/sancheziate blind faith thing he has going on. I even hate to hear the guy in top position breathing heavy on every shot heavy or not. It’s like a lame karate class listening to “Hoos! Hoos!Hoos!Hoos!Hoos!Hoos”. See, it got annoying didn’t it? I hope that Thiago does what he can to introduce his knee to the inside of Diego’s Parietal Lobe.
You hate the guy cause he is a christian and he breathes loud when he punches?? Thats kind of weird…You should base the fighter based on his skill not his religion or habits…
someone who yells a lot when they punch is Joe Stevenson. He sounds like he’s doing a karate move every time he throws something. “Hai…Hai…Hai” It’s quite entertaining.
Diego TKO Rd. 3… G and P all the way!
what a great fight but i really think that diego if he take the fight to the groung he will win via ground and pound but in the stand up will be a great show
I don’t remember whe was the last time I was this excited for a fight. Wow, this fight is unpredictable. Here you have Alves who is a huge welter weight, strong, fast and great on his feet, and then you have Diego that has never been finished in devastating fashion and really fights like a pitbull. His scrambling is off the hook, Great Jiu Jitsu, better than average wresteling and ok stand up. By no means shold he be compared to Hughes. Diego is much faster, relentless, his mind is strong and he hates losing. I guess if Thiago can’t knock him out, he prob has the unknockable chin he always talks about. Can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!
MMA dreams really do come true! FIREWORKS!!!
AND NOW ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT’S TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMEEEE
TWO CHALLENGERS HAVE ENTERED THE OCTAGON.
Can’t wait.
who is the underdog here?
Diego
excited for this i fight i want to see alves win as far who i think will win wait i’ll fip a quater…………alves. he’s bigger stronger maybe faster maybe and i think he can keep it standing. but i was wrong once before.
man i really cannot see deigo winning in any way possiblr
the stand up goes to thiago by FAR!!!
the ground game i still have to give to thiago…
i mean come on people..he dominated hughes worse than gsp
who knows maybe diego by miracle knock out.. i see that being his only chance
sorry diego fans but i am so impressed with alves that i am willing to bet anything on him.
ps
if thiago makes weight and finishes sanchez..definate title shot
both guys come for a great win, this will be awesome the chin of diego is great and i think we all see that in this fight, mi pick diego win via GnP
There is no better or fair scenario for the WW division contendars then this. Right on.
Great Fight! Cant wait! Thiago will not be able to knock Diego out. It wont happen. Diego takes this fight with a reletness ground game.
The WW division has a lot of promising fights.
I’d love to see any of the four top guys in the WW division fight each other.
GSP/Fitch. Fitch/Penn. Penn/Diego. Diego/GSP. Thiago/GSP.
Which ever combo, you put these top guys fighting..it would make for great fights. Even the ones that already happened!
If this fight will be of it should be the real main event in that case yeah
slap in the face to the rest of the division
dirty isnt a top contender
koscheck and swick should be way above him
perhaps they want to feed alves an easy #1 contender fight before he faces the winner of gsp and fitch
although he beat hughes so deserves a title shot
he did fail to make weight so before risking him as the main event they need to make sure he can still make 170… otherwise he could ruin the ppv by failing to make weight
omg i can’t wait for this fight to happen!!!!!!! pitbull is gonna put dirty sanchez in ground with knees to the face!
this is so wrong what are they doing!? I like both Alves and Diego but most Diego who is my favourite ww by far… these two shouldn’t fight each other, put them up against some other competition and let Thiago have his title shot and then Diego could have his if he wins 2 good fights or something.. but Dana White is all about the money, he should pay alot more to Diego and Alves if they sign to fight because this fight is gonna knock someone out of the title picture for no reason sure it
s gonns be a good fight but still..
maybe its just me but has anyone noticed diegos sneaky liitle run-in kick when he puts someone down.when he floored joe riggs joe was alright but as he ran in he shinned him in the face and that kod riggs as far as im concerned.now once maybe ok but when he floored fioravanti in the first round of their fight he tried it again but missed.twice is just too much of a coincidence for me.he disguises it well aswell.watch both fights!!
maybe its just me but has anyone noticed diegos sneaky liitle run-in kick when he puts someone down.when he floored joe riggs joe was alright but as he ran in he shinned him in the face and that kod riggs as far as im concerned.now once maybe ok but when he floored fioravanti in the first round of their fight he tried it again but missed.twice is just too much of a coincidence for me.he disguises it well aswell.watch both fights!!
yes scott i thought about that right when it happened.. this time it was a body shot and when he fought riggs it was legal cause riggs was getting up, he runs full speed and knees..
This match up has more weight to be the main event on this card then Bisping/Leben.
Seconded.
Alves should be forced to make weight a couple of times before getting a title shot, Sanchez needs to avenge the loss to Koschek before he gets a shot at the title.
This fight was on my wish list, awesome, it truly put one of this 2 fighters as a number one contender, both fighters had show great skills last couple of fights, specially Alves, should he beat Diego, hopefully by KTFO, he deserves the title shot.
I’ll be rooting for Diego in this one. People seem to either love him or hate him and there are alot of haters. Don’t really get it. So he’s a little wierd but he always comes to fight and he always (except when he fought Kos) brings it. I’m afraid that Alves may be a little to big for him though. I think Diego should use those kicks again like he used in his last fight because I’m not sure he’ll be able to get Alves down, the sucker his huge. Hughes got him down once but couldn’t do a thing with him. Win or loose for Diego though, it will be a much tougher fight for Alves than he ad with Hughes and I think it will be an absolute war!
This is such a great fight and i really think that Alves wins this via TKO in the 2nd.
As much as I like Diego, he is probably my fav fighter in the UFC, I don’t like his odds against Thiago. Thiago is bigger and stronger with good takedown defense and excellent standup. The fight is going to be exciting but I think Diego will get beat up like never before.
Still, I will be cheering for Diego, but if I had to bet money, I would go with Thiago.
I have always liked Diego not only for his agression and fightng style but because he will fight and take on anyone. He has definately taken tougher opponents than Koscheck to get to where he is in the UFC. He can be a little out there sometimes, but as long as he keeps bringing it to the octogan then he is ok by me. Alves not making weight really buggs me,he is definately impressive, but the lack of discipline he dispalys is not the mark of a champion.
Hope Diego smashes Alves.
Hmmmm…the way I see it Thiago definately takes this fight. Diego, after all, lost to Karo (yes, he did), and nobody has kicks like Thiago. Still, should be a close fight. Thiago by split decision.
this right here is why this fight should never happen if they’re not fighting for the title… because there are so many Diego fans so that if the UFC were smart they would give Diego better fights so that he can get his titleshot!!!
perfect match-up!
i love it!!!
SANCHEZ WILL TAKE IT EASY BUT HASNT A REAL GOOD CHANCE AGAINST GSP… CANT WAIT TIL GSP DESTROYS BJ PENN AGAIN…. NO EYE POKING THIS TIME BJ BITCH!
I cant wait for this one. I am a long time Diego fan though we have all seen Alves in his last 2 performances, impressive to say the least. I will lean very slightly to Diego to take this one via TKO rd 2. But i will not be surprised if Alves continues his great form.
there are only 3 fighters i dislike ortiz, sanchez, and bisbing.
hope diego gets tkfo’d
Diego has heart and modest skills, the kid can fight man!!!
Thiago has no heart and no chin but great striking skills & is a big 170.
I think Diego can TKO Thiago or submit him, Diego’s cardio is outstanding and the kid is fast.
Hard to call this fight, I say Diego but Thiago can end the fight @ anytime.