Thiago Alves to Fight Mike Swick Before Georges St. Pierre-B.J. Penn Winner?

UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lightweight champion B.J. Penn had better give us a fight for the ages at UFC 94, because by fighting each other, they're seriously screwing up the title pictures in both of their weight classes.

The latest example: Mark Chalifoux of the Baltimore Sun reports that Mike Swick will probably fight Thiago Alves before Alves is given a welterweight title shot. This despite the fact that we were told when Alves beat Josh Koscheck at UFC 90 that Alves had earned the next title shot. The reason, of course, is that the St. Pierre-Penn winner won't be ready to defend the welterweight title until the spring or summer, and Alves has already been out of action since October. His choices are either along layoff or another fight.

There's also talk that the No. 1 lightweight contender, Kenny Florian, is going to have to fight again before he gets his title shot against Penn. That's especially true if Penn wins the welterweight belt, as the UFC has indicated that Penn would stay at welterweight to defend that title in his first fight after beating St. Pierre, and then move back down to defend his lightweight title.

I'd enjoy an Alves-Swick fight, and I'd enjoy seeing Florian fight any of the other UFC lightweight contenders. But it's too bad for Alves and Florian that they may have to fight again before getting the title shots they've already earned.