Update: Almeida Injured; Fitch-Alves Rematch Booked for UFC 107

One-time welterweight title challengers Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves will lock horns for a second time at UFC 107 “Penn vs. Sanchez” on Dec. 12 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn. MMAJunkie.com was first to report the rematch, which has since been confirmed by UFC President Dana White.

Fitch stopped Alves with a second-round upkick and follow-up punches at UFC Fight Night 5 in June 2006, but the Brazilian has since developed as one of the sport’s best at 170 pounds.

Based at the American Kickboxing Academy, Fitch last competed at UFC 100 in July, when he earned a unanimous decision against the previously unbeaten and world-ranked Paulo Thiago. The 31-year-old Fort Wayne, Ind., native has posted 17 wins in 18 fights, losing only to reigning UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in that span.

Still only 26, Alves has not appeared in the Octagon since his unanimous decision loss to St. Pierre at UFC 100 three months ago. The defeat snapped a seven-fight winning streak for the American Top Team-trained “Pitbull.” Victories against former UFC welterweight king Matt Hughes, the world-ranked Josh Koscheck and Karo Parisyan anchor his resume.

Fitch was originally scheduled to face former middleweight King of Pancrase Ricardo Almeida at UFC 106 next month. However, an apparent knee injury forced Almeida to withdraw from the match. Fitch reported through his Twitter account late Wednesday that the Renzo Gracie protégé “blew out his knee.”

Alves, meanwhile, was first booked to meet Thiago at UFC 107. Thiago, who burst on the scene with his first-round stoppage against Koscheck in February, could remain on the card against another opponent.