Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight Thiago Alves is ready to split duties between fighting and coaching.
A mainstay at American Top Team (ATT), Alves is now a coach at the Coconut Creek gym. Alves is set to take on Mike Perry at UFC Fight Night 116 on Sept. 16. The bout will take place inside the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Speaking to MMAFighting.com, the “Pitbull” explained how the decision to become a coach came to be:
“After my last fight (with Patrick Cote in April), Dan asked me is I wanted to start helping the new generation of ATT fighters, and I accepted it. I live close to the gym and I’m here every day for 14 years, so it made sense.”
He went on to describe how he can help younger fighters.
“Since I’m teaching fighters now, you see the sport in a different way. I study the techniques more, the things I have to teach them. It’s great for my career, my fight IQ is going way up. I see things that I didn’t pay attention before. It brings me a new energy and more responsibility because now I’m an example. The things I do in there will show my athletes that it works, that that’s the way you should fight.”
