Fitch will be looking to beat Thiago a second time. Photo: Josh Hedges
Thiago Alves and Jon Fitch face off this Saturday at UFC 117 in California. Besides the expectations surrounding the bout for being a rematch, with Alves looking for revenge after a four-year wait, there is the extra added appeal of the winner moving to the front of the line of challengers for Georges St.-Pierre’s welterweight belt.
GSP will defend his title against Josh Koscheck in September, making the grand finale of the 12th season of the “Ultimate Fighter” reality show. Should he beat St.-Pierre, Koscheck will face the winner of the Alves-Fitch matchup, according to UFC president Dana White.
Should Fitch win, he would be forced into an unprecedented fight with his teammate Josh Koscheck or have a rematch with GSP, to whom he lost at UFC 87. Alves, too, lost to St.-Pierre, but beat Koscheck at UFC 90.