UFC Quick Quote: Rousimar Palhares considering a move to the welterweight division

"My desire to get down to the welterweight division is great, but I don't want to make a hasty decision ... I will only really do it if my body's response is positive. I'm doing a fully integrated work of nutrition, fitness, supplementation and orthomolecular medicine. I'm with a very good team taking care of me."

-- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight Rousimar Palhares is currently in the midst of serving a nine-month suspension for elevated testosterone levels, but when his times comes to return there is a good chance "Toquinho" will compete at a new weight class. Palhares sent out a press release (via Gracie Mag) stating he has the "desire" to drop to the welterweight division after fighting his first 19 professional bouts at 185-pounds. Standing at just 5'8", Palhares is one of the shortest fighters in the middleweight division and being at a height --and probably weight-- disadvantage in essentially every fight may no longer be in his best interest. Having lost back-to-back fights to Alan Belcher and Hector Lombard, the Brazilian needs to rejuvenate his career and, like most fighters, Palhares seems to believe shifting weight classes is the answer.