An aggressive Muay Thai practitioner with dynamite in his fists, feet, and knees, Thiago Alves is coming off a 2008 campaign that had many outlets proclaiming him to be Fighter of the Year. And that was with good reason, as he scored crushing knockouts of Karo Parisyan and welterweight legend Matt Hughes before finishing off the year with a dominant three round win over Josh Koscheck. When and why did you start training for fighting? I started Muay Thai at 15 yrs old and MMA at 17 yrs old in Brazil. I have wanted to be a fighter for as long as I can remember. Accomplishments in amateur competition? None Accomplishments in pro competition? Brazilian Muay Thai Champion. My biggest accomplishment is just fighting in the UFC. Thats what I always wanted to do. For me it’s a dream. I feel blessed. Ranks in any martial arts styles: Purple Belt in BJJ. Favorite grappling technique: Kimura Favorite Striking technique: Jab Do you have any heroes? Wanderlei Silva. What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It’s like a dream come true. I have been waiting my whole career for this. Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? Yes, in Brazil, but did not finish. What was your job before you started fighting? Teaching Muay Thai.
