Killer instinct is that ability to finish an opponent once you “smell blood in the water.” The cliche fits, frankly, as Thiago Alves has always been known as a fighter that is big on finishes and fights, at times, with reckless abandon. His UFC 138 opponent, Papy Abedi of Sweden, was the target of his abuse this time and the hard work he put in all paid off.
Abedi, for his credit, worked his tail off in the first round, even connecting and dominating on their feet up until the combination that dropped him. Once Alves saw his staggered and stunned opponent, “The Pitbull” pounced, took Abedi’s back and locked in the rear naked choke for the submission victory.
Surely, Alves was relieved to get a solid finish after 5 consecutive decisions (2 wins against 3 losses). For Abedi, while he wasn’t successful in his debut, he impressed in his early dominance of Thiago Alves on his feet. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to get him his 9th career win and keep his unbeaten streak intact.