Thiago Alves MMAMemories.com Exclusive Biofile Published by Scoop Malinowski Last Updated on January 29th, 2009

Options:  Print  Email  RSS

STATUS: UFC Welterweight contender. Member American Top Team.

HT: 5-9 WT: 170

DOB: October 3, 1983 IN: Fortaleza, Brazil

FIGHTING INSPIRATION: “Actually I started training, fighting because of Bruce Lee and Van Damme movies. That’s one of the reasons I started fighting.”

CHILDHOOD HERO: “Superman.”

HOBBIES/LEISURE ACTIVITIES: “When I’m not training, I hang out with my friends, I like to go out, I like to eat. I don’t do much. Party [laughs].”

NICKNAME: Pitbull.

FAVORITE MOVIES: “Cinderella Man – pretty good. Scarface – of course.”

FAVORITE TV SHOW: “True Blood.”

LAST BOOK READ: “The Secret.”

MUSICAL TASTES: “Man, I like hip-hop but I like house music too. T.I., Lil Wayne, Dave Degueta.”

FIRST FIGHTING MEMORY: “Was a long time ago. I was excited, real excited. I was just really happy I was gonna fight. It was my first fight, the (other) kid had like two or three fights. It was a Muay Thai fight and I knocked him out. (What punch?) I just beat the shit out of him. Low kicks. He couldn’t get up. (KO 1 Wilson Belchoir in Oct. 2001 in Brazil).”

FIRST JOB: “Teaching Muay Thai. No, it was actually dancing. I used to be a ballroom dancer in Brazil. I was an escort, just dancing. From when I was 16-19. Then I moved here, stopped dancing, started fighting.”

FIRST CAR: “PT Cruiser (black).”

CURRENT CAR: “I have a Maserati now (black).”

PRE-FIGHT FEELING/MINDSET: “I feel…losing is not an option. I just get in a really, really psycho mood. No way I’m losing. And I’m gonna kick your ass. That’s my attitude.”

FAVORITE MEAL: “Barbecue.”

FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR: “Strawberry.”

GREATEST CAREER MOMENT: “All of them. Everything. But…I think the biggest moment that put me out there, when people realized I was in the picture – Matt Hughes fight (TKO 2 at UFC 85).”

MOST PAINFUL MOMENT: “After I lost to Jon Fitch (TKO strikes, round two in 2006).”

WORST INJURY: “ACL. It was in training.”

FUNNY FIGHTING MEMORY: “Just a lot of things. I can’t remember just one right now. Every fight’s a different chapter.”

EMBARRASSING CAREER MEMORY: “When I lost. Not making weight.”

FAVORITE FIGHTERS TO WATCH: “Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell, Nogueira, Fedor, JZ Gesias Cavalcante, George Santiago.”

BEST FIGHT SEEN: “I don’t know, it’s a tough call. So many. I’m gonna have to think about this one…most exciting fight that I ever watched…B.J. Penn-Matt Hughes, second one. Actually the first one. Both were really exciting to watch.”

TOUGHEST MAN FACED: “Josh Koscheck, my last fight. Just really tough, dangerous, keeps coming at you. When you fight a guy like that you have to be 100% concentrated. Not that other guys aren’t tough but you need all your attention on him, you can’t make a mistake.”

YOUR BEST/FINEST PERFORMANCE(S): “My last fight (Koscheck). Because it was the last performance. Just – it was not perfect because I didn’t knock him out – but it was exactly what I planned to do.”

LAST VACATION: “Vegas.”

PEOPLE QUALITIES MOST ADMIRED: “Honest. People that are really honest. Show their true colors. I hate fake people.”

www.thebiofile.com