Pitbull Alves -- Gunning for Summer Comeback
UFC badass Thiago "Pitbull" Alves is only one month into his recovery from brain surgery -- but TMZ has learned the fighter is already trying to book his next professional fight ... for July!!
Sources close to Alves tell us the fighter -- who was sidelined from UFC 111 last month after a CAT Scan showed an irregularity in his brain -- is gunning to return to the Octagon for UFC 116 on July 3.
As we previously reported, Alves underwent an 8-hour procedure on his brain at the end of March to prevent internal bleeding.
Sources say Alves had a follow-up CAT Scan on Tuesday in New York -- which we're told shows the surgery was a complete success.
Now all Alves has to do is send the test results to the New Jersey State Athletic Commission -- and if everything checks out, he'll get the go ahead to fight.