Don't get me wrong, Alves could do some real damage, especially with his kicks. More likely BJ would utterly outbox him, possibly enough to stop the fight. I think BJ would have trouble taking Alves down, but I don't know that he would need to. If he did, he would likely pound out a tko. If Alves manages to get top position on BJ, it could be serious trouble for BJ if he can't get close control very quickly, Alves has some of the nastiest ground and pound around. All in all BJ would be a significant but not prohibitive favorite.
this was my first thought as well. BJ's boxing is top notch but Alves is a monster at 170 thats what got me thinking. other than that i agree with you good post.
BJ clear. Fitch had a hard time with Diego..Diego gives everyone at 170 fits with the exception of GSP. Did you see what BJ did to Diego? ppffft BJ is one of the GOAT and has a chance to be the greatest ever!
I like BJ here. Thiago has great standup but BJ has great Muay Thai defense hes hard to clinch with and he checks mostly any roundhouse that is throw at him. BJ has a significant advantage with his hands, Thiago has good hands but BJ is so much better fundementally. BJ would have difficulty taking the fight to the ground but IMO if he really wanted to he would be able to eventually get the fight there where he is a few levels about Thiago on the ground. BJ has such a dominant top game, his passes, GNP and then of course his mount/back control its usually a matter of time before the RNC. Id love to see this fight though if GSP moves on to try and make the Olympics.
I am one of the biggest BJ fans but I am not too confident in this fight. People think it is the "added weight" that wears BJ down at 170, but it isn't, it is having to constantly flex his muscles and hold off the monsters up there that tires him out. I don't see why Alves also won't be able to wear him out and then go to work in the 3rd or 4th round and probably stop him. BJ's body is just too small and he doesn't carry the muscle to compete with the big athletes up at WW. Who knows though.
Hmm, a lot of guys selling Alves short here. You can say the same thing about Sanchez giving Fitch trouble but not Penn about Hughes giving BJ trouble but not Alves. Alves has pretty short arms but he's not Sherk and his kicks will at least help him keep distance and score points. Since Fitch is more of a grappler than Alves I think Alves would have a better shot against Penn. Also, the big tall guys at 170 like Swick and Rumble Johnson would take away a lot of the sucess that Penn has with his jab against smaller guys.
Hughes presented very little trouble to BJ in both fights until BJ broke his ribs late in the 2nd round of the rematch.
I like Fitch he works hard and seems like a cool guy but im tired of seeing him basically do the same Clay Guida does to everyone just without the hair. Taking people dont, squeezing behind there back and throwing an occasional light punches gets old after 2-3 fights. Nothing is cool about grinding decisions in every fight.
Yeah, except that he WINS. It's not stand up comedy. If he can do more of what he wants than his opponent then it doesn't matter what the crowd thinks. People say the same thing about defensive boxers (Whitaker, Byrd etc) but in the end their job is to win and if they do that then good for them. Besides, the way Fitch took that horrible beating from GSP and kept coming was something else.
Yeah I mean I like the man, a real warrior, but I hate the fighter. Man, Pierce was at one punch to KO his ass and send him to the undercard again lol
Or until Hughes broke BJ's ribs, if you look at the more likely situation. Two guys fighting, one of whom is hitting the other in the ribs, a lot; either the ribs break in a freak accident or it had something to do with the mutant-strength ground and pound machine.
I would love to see this fight. I think it would be a perfect setup for a GSP rematch. If BJ could handle Alves impressively - it could make a strong case for a rematch.
