Sherdog.com Preview: UFC 59 “Reality Check” Part I
Thiago Alves vs. Derrick Noble
Apr 11, 2006
ALVES: Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Thiago Alves has a professional
record of 7-2. He fights as part of the American Top Team along
with Aaron Riley
(Pictures), Din Thomas (Pictures), Marcus Aurelio (Marcus Aurelio'
class='LinkSilver'>Pictures), Luigi Fioravanti, Mike Brown,
Wilson Gouveia
(Pictures), Denis Kang (Pictures), Dustin Denes (Pictures) and Benji Radach (Pictures).
Alves began fighting Vale Tudo (“anything goes”) in Brazil under the guidance of BJJ master Evilasio Feitosa. There he fought nine Vale Tudo fights and 11 Muay Thai fights, losing only his MMA debut. He also holds an eight-man Vale Tudo tournament title as well. Since moving to the U.S. Alves has fought eight MMA bouts and one Muay Thai contest. Thiago sent a tape of his fights to Marcus Aurelio (Marcus Aurelio' class='LinkSilver'>Pictures) and was invited to train at the American Top Team in Florida.
After coming to the United States, Alves fought in the Mass
Destruction promotion against Mike Littlefield and stopped
the IFC veteran with strikes early in the second round. He met UFC
veteran and TUF alumni Marcus
Davis at the Hardcore Fighting Championship and beat him by
unanimous decision.
Thiago debuted in the Absolute Fighting Championships in December of 2003 and would fight twice in the promotion. He battled current opponent Derrick Noble and lost by rear-choke in the second round. At AFC 7 he beat Nuri Shakir (Pictures) and took out Jason Chambers (Pictures) with strikes at Ironheart Crown 8.
A UFC debut was next and Alves faced Miletich Fighting Systems athlete Spencer Fisher (Pictures) at Ultimate Fight Night 2. The Brazilian lost to a rear-choke late in the second round but was impressive in his performance and was brought back to the Octagon. Last November Alves stopped then undefeated Ansar Chalangov with strikes midway through the first round.
NOBLE: Derrick Noble is a striker with a professional record of 15-6-1 in MMA. For many years he trained with Jim Bruketta (Pictures), Jason Strandberg, Bruce Mirabella, leader Phil Johns (Pictures) and the rest of the Silverbacks Vale Tudo Team. Currently he’s training with one of the coaches from that team, Bob Long, and Muay Thai coach Ryan Blackorby at the Peoria Athletic Club, as well as the wrestlers at Eastern Illinois University.
Noble’s MMA career began in 2000 with a loss to Jason Rigsby. Derrick picked up his first win at Freestyle Combat Challenge 3. He went on to win his next five fights, including a submission win over Mark Long (Pictures). A bout at Ironheart Crown 4 saw Noble battle Gideon Ray (Pictures). It was a back-and-forth battle that ended when Ray sunk a guillotine choke midway through the third round.
Derrick rebounded winning four straight and knocking out two of his opponents in the first round. He also submitted Pat Healy (Pictures) in that stanza. At AFC 5 Noble fought Jorge Santiago (Pictures) and lost a unanimous decision. He lost a bout with Chris Lytle (Pictures) by submission the following month and all of a sudden his road to higher profile shows and bigger paydays had a few potholes in it.
Noble fought Joey Gilbert at Ironheart Crown 6 and knocked him out early in the second round. Big wins over American Top Team fighter Thiago Alves and Red Devil Fight Team athlete Musail Allaudinov only helped to build his reputation as a tough competitor.
After a 15-second knockout at FFC 16 he faced Keith Wisniewski (Pictures) at Ironheart Crown 8. The bout went the distance with Wisniewski taking the decision victory. He fought to a draw at the Combat-Do Fighting Challenge and then was submitted by Josh Neer (Pictures) at the Xtreme Kage Kombat show.
Noble KO’d his opponent at the Silverback Classics 21 and then submitted Jason Medina at Silverback Classics 22. His most recent win was an impressive one, taking a unanimous decision over highly touted Carlos Prater at MFC 6.
MY PICK: This is a very tough one to pick. Noble won the first bout but it was two and half years ago and both have continued to fight regularly. Since their meeting in ’03, Alves is 4-1 and Noble is 5-2-1. Although this is Noble’s UFC debut he has met six fighters that have graced the Octagon. Not having fought here may be the difference. It will be Alves’ third trip and he’s known he was on this card (although originally preparing for Drew Fickett (Pictures)) for some time. Derrick was preparing for another bout in the Ironheart Crown but to say this is a mere step up in competition would be an understatement. Alves by TKO in the third round.
Alves began fighting Vale Tudo (“anything goes”) in Brazil under the guidance of BJJ master Evilasio Feitosa. There he fought nine Vale Tudo fights and 11 Muay Thai fights, losing only his MMA debut. He also holds an eight-man Vale Tudo tournament title as well. Since moving to the U.S. Alves has fought eight MMA bouts and one Muay Thai contest. Thiago sent a tape of his fights to Marcus Aurelio (Marcus Aurelio' class='LinkSilver'>Pictures) and was invited to train at the American Top Team in Florida.
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Thiago debuted in the Absolute Fighting Championships in December of 2003 and would fight twice in the promotion. He battled current opponent Derrick Noble and lost by rear-choke in the second round. At AFC 7 he beat Nuri Shakir (Pictures) and took out Jason Chambers (Pictures) with strikes at Ironheart Crown 8.
In his King of the Cage debut “The Pit Bull” knocked out Jeff Cox in just 15 seconds.
A UFC debut was next and Alves faced Miletich Fighting Systems athlete Spencer Fisher (Pictures) at Ultimate Fight Night 2. The Brazilian lost to a rear-choke late in the second round but was impressive in his performance and was brought back to the Octagon. Last November Alves stopped then undefeated Ansar Chalangov with strikes midway through the first round.
NOBLE: Derrick Noble is a striker with a professional record of 15-6-1 in MMA. For many years he trained with Jim Bruketta (Pictures), Jason Strandberg, Bruce Mirabella, leader Phil Johns (Pictures) and the rest of the Silverbacks Vale Tudo Team. Currently he’s training with one of the coaches from that team, Bob Long, and Muay Thai coach Ryan Blackorby at the Peoria Athletic Club, as well as the wrestlers at Eastern Illinois University.
Noble’s MMA career began in 2000 with a loss to Jason Rigsby. Derrick picked up his first win at Freestyle Combat Challenge 3. He went on to win his next five fights, including a submission win over Mark Long (Pictures). A bout at Ironheart Crown 4 saw Noble battle Gideon Ray (Pictures). It was a back-and-forth battle that ended when Ray sunk a guillotine choke midway through the third round.
Derrick rebounded winning four straight and knocking out two of his opponents in the first round. He also submitted Pat Healy (Pictures) in that stanza. At AFC 5 Noble fought Jorge Santiago (Pictures) and lost a unanimous decision. He lost a bout with Chris Lytle (Pictures) by submission the following month and all of a sudden his road to higher profile shows and bigger paydays had a few potholes in it.
Noble fought Joey Gilbert at Ironheart Crown 6 and knocked him out early in the second round. Big wins over American Top Team fighter Thiago Alves and Red Devil Fight Team athlete Musail Allaudinov only helped to build his reputation as a tough competitor.
After a 15-second knockout at FFC 16 he faced Keith Wisniewski (Pictures) at Ironheart Crown 8. The bout went the distance with Wisniewski taking the decision victory. He fought to a draw at the Combat-Do Fighting Challenge and then was submitted by Josh Neer (Pictures) at the Xtreme Kage Kombat show.
Noble KO’d his opponent at the Silverback Classics 21 and then submitted Jason Medina at Silverback Classics 22. His most recent win was an impressive one, taking a unanimous decision over highly touted Carlos Prater at MFC 6.
MY PICK: This is a very tough one to pick. Noble won the first bout but it was two and half years ago and both have continued to fight regularly. Since their meeting in ’03, Alves is 4-1 and Noble is 5-2-1. Although this is Noble’s UFC debut he has met six fighters that have graced the Octagon. Not having fought here may be the difference. It will be Alves’ third trip and he’s known he was on this card (although originally preparing for Drew Fickett (Pictures)) for some time. Derrick was preparing for another bout in the Ironheart Crown but to say this is a mere step up in competition would be an understatement. Alves by TKO in the third round.
