By all accounts, Thiago Alves thought his fighting career was done. After knocking out Uly Diaz to become BKFC middleweight champion in 2021, the now 40-year-old Brazilian veteran didn’t get an offer that enticed him enough to fight again. With his focus shifting towards coaching, as he’s now one of the primary instructors at American Top Team in Florida, Alves never retired but also didn’t expect to compete again. That all changed when BKFC came calling with a huge payday and a chance to face Mike Perry at KnuckleMania IV on Saturday. “I’m always active,” Alves told MMA Fighting. “I’m...