FightTicker.com bloggers have thought long and hard about some of the marquee matchups at UFC 90. Here is the second of three sets of picks: the welterweight bout between Josh Koscheck and Thiago Alves. (For the roundtable picks for the Tyson Griffin-Sean Sherk fight, click here.)

Originally posted on MMAOpinion.com.

Thiago Alves is one of the most devastating fighters in the welterweight division. There’s just one problem: Thiago Alves isn’t a welterweight.

Whe you listen to commentators like Joe Rogan talk about his future in the division, you constantly hear them refer to the Brazilian’s size. Perhaps, though, they shouldn’t be reminding everyone how big he is, because it’s presented a huge problem for Alves.

There is no doubt that Alves is a huge welterweight, and there have been times when he can make the weight, but there have also been moments where that hasn’t been the case.

We first saw that happen when he fought Tony D’Souza and tested positive for spironolactone.

However, as Rogan pointed out in his most recent commentary up on the UFC site about the upcoming fight between Alves and Josh Koscheck, Alves seems to be getting bigger every time he fights.

From MMAMania.com:

Josh Koscheck will replace an injured Diego Sanchez to fight Thiago Alves on less than two weeks notice at UFC 90: “Silva vs. Cote” at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., on October 25.

“The Nightmare” has to withdraw from the highly anticipated welterweight showdown because of torn rib cartilage sustained during training.

I will give my boy, Kos, props for taking this dangerous fight on such short notice. Alves is vicious enough when allowed eight weeks to train, let alone less than two weeks' notice.

I think this definitely has the possibility of being fight of the night and I am jacked that Kos is fighting in "The Windy City."

Photo from UFC.com

From MMAJunkie.com:

The Ultimate Fighting Championship hosts major events over the next two weekends, and according to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) readers, there's no fight more anticipated than a welterweight clash between top contenders Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves.

The Sanchez-Alves fight, which garnered 38 percent of the vote, is even more anticipated than a UFC middleweight championship bout between current title-holder Anderson Silva and challenger Patrick Cote, according to voters.

I do have to recognize that the poll's voters are a somewhat limited audience. Many of Junkie's readers are loyal and/or hardcore fans, but that's just it -- they're not always your casual MMA viewer. Further, while these polls are advertised on "Inside MMA", not everyone gets HDNet, and of those who do, I'm sure not everyone watches "Inside MMA", so not everyone knows there is a poll available. So maybe the large number of Average Joes that watch MMA really want to see Silva vs. Cote, or Bisping vs. Leben, or Jardine vs. Vera -- but I think the true MMA fans, the ones who make up the majority of voters, made the right choice.

I think Alves vs. Sanchez is going to be a great match. Before this is to happen, obviously Alves must make weight. I realize that he stated he sprained his ankle before the Hughes fight, so he couldn't do his normal cardio in the days leading up to the weigh-in, but it's not the first time he's had problems with his weight. I'd be willing to bet that Dana White has told Alves if he doesn't make weight, he's going to get stuck back on the undercard, if not released for a while to fight in smaller organizations.

How is this fight going to go? I doubt that everyone can agree on a winner, but I think everyone can probably agree it's going to go at a breakneck pace. Both fighters like to fight fast, and both swing for the fences. I like Alves to win this -- I think he's stronger than Sanchez and I think he hits harder. Sanchez is a more technical fighter, but I don't think he'll be able to finesse Alves like he wants to.

I think the voters chose the fight as the one most anticipated because they know it could go either way, and whichever way it goes, it will be exciting.

-PreView