Alves (photo via UFC.com)

By FCF Staff

Although Thiago Alves will turn 35 next month, and has walked to the Octagon 23 times to date, the welterweight’s not ready to hang up the gloves yet.

Alves is booked to fight M-1 Global welterweight champ, Alexey Kunchenko, at UFC Fight Night 136 this Saturday in Moscow. The bout will be the 24th UFC bout of the “Pitbull’s” career.

Recently Alves (22-12) spoke with UFC.com, and while discussing his coaching duties with American Top Team and his future, he said this:

“I’m going to be 35 and I’m thinking I probably have another year or two in me and then I want to start the next stage of my career, but make no mistakes: I’m in it to win it and I’m going to come forward and make it bloody because I know it’s not going to last much longer.

“If I walked away today, I’m happy with what I have done in my fighting career,” he added. “I’ve been able to live a beautiful life doing what I love – one of the hardest things a man can do to survive – and I’m grateful for that. I’m happy with that, but I’m not done yet. I have a lot of fight in me still.”

Alves is coming off a knockout loss to Curtis Millender at UFC FN 126 in February. Prior to that, at UFC 210 in April, 2017, Alves outscored Patrick Cote for the decision win.