By Nolan King

Much to the chagrin of fight fans, Thiago Alves announced earlier this week that he was withdrawing from his bout against Mike Perry at UFC Fight Night: Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Alves was scheduled to face Perry in the night's co-main event, but due to the effects of Hurricane Irma on his training camp located in Coconut Creek, FL, Alves was unable to answer the call north in Pennsylvania.

This left "Platinum" opponent-less just three days out from his bout in Pittsburgh, and many feared the UFC would not be able to find a replacement given the limited time frame.

Enter: Alex Reyes.

Despite many members of the current UFC roster volunteering to step up, the UFC decided to outsource from the regional scene instead. On just three days' notice, the King of the Cage (KOTC) veteran and older brother of UFC veteran Dominick Reyes will make his UFC debut against Perry in Pittsburgh.

Fighting Perry on short notice would be a difficult enough debut for any fighter, but in addition, Reyes will be moving up from his natural weight class of 155 pounds to 170 pounds for this fight.

Reyes, who trains out of Team Oyama in Irvine, CA, has been on an incredible tear since early 2008, winning 13 straight bouts in that time. Prior to his impressive win streak, Reyes started off his career 0-2 in his first two professional bouts, making him an exemplary "never give up" story.

The Skinny:

Reyes has served as the KOTC lightweight champion for a handful of fights, and it's evident he is a legit regional talent.

His well-rounded game matched with a great ability to finish fights makes Reyes a tough outing for any 155-pound fighter. His takedowns are his most effective weapon -- especially his single legs. Oftentimes he'll spend extended periods of time striking, and as soon as his opponent gets comfortable, he'll swoop in and score a takedown. Whether it be a TKO or a submission, Reyes aggressively goes for the finish once the fight hits the ground.

However, one thing that could hurt Reyes is his inactivity in MMA of late. "The Executioner," as he is aptly nicknamed, has only competed once professionally since 2015. While the concerns that accompany inactivity still exist, Reyes' return to the cage just a few weeks ago was a dominant affair, as he bowled over Gil Guardado at Fight Club OC: Boxing and MMA Fight Series in just 66 seconds.

The Matchup vs. Mike Perry:

Real talk: the matchup against Perry isn't an easy one. Taking the fight on short notice, moving up a weight class, and making your UFC debut are all factors that aren't ideal, even for a veteran like Reyes. With that being said, it isn't impossible for Reyes to pull off the upset. The 30-year-old fighter is as experienced as they come regionally, so it's quite possible the UFC jitters will be kept to a minimum. His cardio, at its worst, should be on par with Perry's.

When analyzing this bout, it's worth noting Reyes' fourth-round submission victory against Joshua Aveles at KOTC: Coming Home in March 2015. Aveles is a power striker with good cardio and a stalking, winging style much like that of "Platinum" Perry.

While Aveles tagged Reyes consistently through 1 1/2 rounds of their bout, Reyes did display an ability to absorb punishment in addition to great footwork. Anytime Aveles showed a lack in judgement and got a bit lackadaisical, Reyes capitalized in an instant and got the takedown.

As the fight progressed, the gap between the two fighters' cardio became more evident. In the fourth round, Reyes capitalized on a sloppy move by Aveles, got the takedown, and soon after choked Aveles out. Look for Reyes to implement a similar game plan against Perry.

Reyes doesn't have the name recognition of Thiago Alves, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a probability that this fight will be absolute fireworks.

Fight fans: get excited. Despite little mainstream recognition, Reyes is more than capable of filling the void left by Alves, and this fight is still hugely interesting from a pure skills perspective.

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