Thiago Alves Misses Weight for Planned Lightweight Debut

Former UFC title challenger Thiago Alves has spent the last few years realizing hot-and-cold success at welterweight. After a savage, 2015 TKO loss to Carlos Condit, the dangerous Brazilian striker opted to head south in search of greener pastures at lightweight.

Originally, Alves’ planned lightweight debut was expected to pit him against New York’s Al Iaquinta in the featured Fight Pass prelim of UFC 205. When Iaquinta retired from mixed martial arts to focus on a burgeoning real estate career, however, Alves was forced to shift his focus to a replacement opponent in lightweight veteran Jim Miller.

Given that Alves has missed the welterweight division’s 170-pound cap on two previous occasions, his planned drop to lightweight always stood out as a bit of a risky move. Unfortunately, those that doubted the Brazilian’s ability to make 155 pounds were proven correct this morning, as he missed weight for his bout with Miller by a whopping 6.6 pounds. He tipped the scales at 162.6.

Rumors that Alves was enduring a tough cut surfaced earlier this morning.

Hearing that Thiago Alves had a very tough weight cut and is in danger of not making weight. Lightweight debut. Weigh-ins 25 mins away.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) November 11, 2016

These rumors were confirmed when he stepped on the scale.

#UFC205 official weigh-in results: Thiago Alves (@ThiagoAlvesATT) – (162.6) https://t.co/1WdMhHVISu – misses lightweight limit pic.twitter.com/Wvow7UcjsE

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 11, 2016

So long as Miller is able to weigh in within 5 pounds of Alves, this bout will go ahead as planned. If it does, Miller will receive 20% of his foe’s purse.

Alves will be docked 20% of his fight purse. Miller must weigh-in within 5 pounds of Alves or else the fight is OFF.#UFC205#UFCNYC

— Wesley Riddle (@AllThatMMA) November 11, 2016

Alves will enter the bout with a tough, 3-2 mark in his last 5 fights, having defeated Papy Abedi, Seth Baczynski and Jordan Mein, and come up short against Martin Kampmann and Condit. Miller, meanwhile, has also gone 3-2 in his last 5, having bested Danny Castillo, Takanori Gomi and Joe Lauzon, and lost to Michael Chiesa and Diego Sanchez.

In addition to this Alves vs. Miller bout, the stacked UFC 205 undercard is highlighted by a middleweight bout between Tim Boetsch and Rafael Natal, a lightweight bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Michael Johnson, and a featherweight bout between Frankie Edgar and Jeremy Stephens.

Who do you think comes out on top when Alves and Miller step into the cage together? Sound off, PENN Nation!