Thiago Alves (photo via UFC Bios.com)

By FCF Staff

New MMA fans may not be overly familiar with the name Thiago Alves, due to the fact that the welterweight has fought just once since 2011, as a result of four surgeries. Of course, old school and hardcore fans remember a time when Alves was one of the UFC’s top 170’ers, who at one point had won seven straight in the Octagon.

Well, the American Top Team fighter recently appeared on “The MMA Hour“, in advance of his April 19th bout with Seth Baczynski. The 30 year-old, who hasn’t fought since March, 2012, when he was defeated by Martin Kampmann, had this to say about his pending return:

“I’m all healed up. I’m very excited and happy. It’s gonna be hard to go in a training camp without any kind of injury, but, yeah, I’ve been fighting with a PCL (injury) for a long time. But it’s all in the past. I’m finally healthy.”

The noted striker, who fought former champ Georges St. Pierre in 2009 and lost by unanimous decision, was also asked who he believes is the top welterweight. Alves complimented fellow ATT 170’ers like Tyron Woodley, Robbie Lawler and Hector Lombard but said the “toughest guy in the welterweight class is definitely (Johny) Hendricks.”

Alves will face Baczynski at UFC on FOX 11, which will be hosted by the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.