Alves favored over Fitch

Not going to lie I'll be pretty surprised if Fitch wins this fight. Definitely wouldn't blow my mind but I don't see him making it to the final bell

If Alves can stay off his back he will win this fight. I'm picking Alves and I'm not surprised at all that he's favored. Fitch has a lot of lackluster wins lately. That's a product of his wrestling style I'm sure but he isn't the finisher that Alves is.

I pick Alvez. I think the 8 fights he has had since his loss to Fitch have really allowed him to further develop his game while Fitch has seemed to remain dangerously (for himself) consistent in his game in that there have been few new folds that make him appear any more unpredictable or threatening than he is already known to be. Alvez in that time has impressively taken out some of the division's elite fighters and surviving against the champ has been his only setback. I look for Alvez to control tempo, keep this standing, get off the ground quick if he does go down, and offer a steady stream of powerful strikes to earn a win, probably decision similar to the Kos fight (who I happen to think could beat his teammate in a fight).