Via MMA Junkie

While a knee injury forced grappling ace Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) out of a planned UFC 106 bout with Jon Fitch, "Big Dog" apparently won't sit out for long.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the promotion that Almeida is being targeted for a March 27 return to action at UFC 111 in Newark, N.J.

With the Fitch bout falling through, Almeida's first fight in the WW division is rumored to be against none other than Thiago Alves:

And while Almeida couldn't comment on the potential contest when contacted by MMAjunkie.com, additional sources have indicated Brazilian slugger Thiago Alves (16-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) may be in the running to face the 33-year-old.

Despite switching divisions he can't get away from fighting the big boys it seems. Stylistically this is a pretty horrible match-up for him as I see it and I'd have Alves as the clear favorite with a leg-kick related TKO not being unlikely.

Almeida on rehabing and getting back in shape:

"I was able to start running again in the past week, so I've been getting running in – sometimes twice a day – just trying to get my weight down again," Almeida said. "I'm probably around like 195 pounds right now, so I'm just trying to get my weight down so I can start a training camp already in shape."

"I've been running, swimming. I can't really grapple yet, but I'm already hitting the mitts."

"I just started boxing again," Almeida said. "I'll probably start grappling again in the next few weeks.

"When I do get a fight, I want to start training pretty hard about three months out."

What say you of this fight should it be signed and how do you see it going down?