Issue 035
March 2008
Belorussian powerhouse Andrei Arlovski stands 6’4” tall and is a lean 240lbs. One of the most athletic heavyweights in the UFC, he is noted as a sprawl ‘n brawler, preferring to stand and pick his opponents apart with strikes rather than grapple.
Fact file:
Born: Minsk, Belarus
Height: 6’4”
Category: Heavyweight (205lbs to 265lbs)
Fighting professionally since: 1999
Total record: 11 wins, 5 losses, no draws.
Moving from his home in Minsk, Belarus to the USA about six years ago, he lives in Chicago as part of the city’s large Eastern European immigrant population. He trains mostly in boxing but has a background in the Russian grappling system of Sambo, which he trained in extensively before relocating to the States.
Arlovski has not fought since April 2007, when he out-pointed the Brazilian grappler Fabricio Werdum in a cautious affair. Failing to impress either the audience or the powers-that-be with that fight, Arlovski’s future has been questioned as pundits speculate if he is riding out his UFC contract in the hope of picking up work in other promotions. When hints were dropped in December that he may be looking to jump ship to the newly established HDNet Fights, he released a statement saying he intended to honour his contract with the UFC, but that means little as it is said he only has one fight left on it.
Attributes
Beard
Oberservers joke that you can predict how an Arlovski fight will go on the strength of his beard. His worst appearances have always been while clean shaven, and he tends to fight best when sporting a full Sparta-like covering. Humour aside, underneath is a chin many feel to be suspect. He was dropped by Tim Sylvia in their second meeting (and was left gunshy in their rubber match) while Pedro Rizzo rearranged his face with a hefty right hand earlier in his career.
Right Hand
Noted for his hand speed, more than a couple of Arlovski’s opponents have felt the sting of his right cross. A lightning fast weapon, he dropped Tim Sylvia with it (twice) as well as Paul Buentello, Justin Eilers and Vladimir Matyushenko. All three were on the deck before they even knew what had happened. Accurate as it is quick, the Belorussian often sets his right cross up with an inside kick to the thigh with his left leg.
Hips
Being able to defend against the double leg takedown is crucial for his style, and one thing Arlovski is noted for is his excellent sprawl. As seen in his fights with Vladimir Matsushenko and Fabricio Werdum, his takedown defence is among the best in the UFC.
Legs
As best demonstrated in his fight with Wesley ‘Cabbage’ Correira, Arlovski’s kickboxing is more than capable, although he has shyed away from using it in recent fights in favour of his boxing. His long legs make great weapons and he can kick to head height with ease. Coupled with his excellent footwork, he moves in and out of range well and presents an elusive target for anyone.
Notable fights:
Win over Fabricio Werdum via Unanimous Decision, UFC 70, April 21st 2007
Win over Marcio Cruz via KO (Strikes), UFC 66: Liddell vs. Ortiz 2, December 30th 2006
Loss to Tim Sylvia via Unaimous Decision, UFC 61: Bitter Rivals, July 8th 2006
Loss to Tim Sylvia via TKO (Punches), UFC 59: Reality Check, April 15th 2006
Win over Paul Buentello via KO (Punch), UFC 55: Fury, October 7th 2005
Win over Justin Eilers via TKO (Strikes), UFC 53: Heavy Hitters, June 4th 2005
Win over Tim Sylvia via Submission (Achilles lock), UFC 51: Super Saturday, February 5th 2005,
Win over Wesley Correira via TKO (Strikes), UFC 47: It's On! April 2th 2004
Win over Vladimir Matyushenko via KO (Punch), UFC 44: Undisputed, September 26th 2003
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