There were a six-year break in between wins, but former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlvoski has won four straight bouts in the Octagon.
Fighting for the first time in the UFC since 2008, “The Pit Bull” won a debatable split decision against Brendan Schaub on Saturday night. The judges’ scores in Vancouver at UFC 174 were 28-29, 29-28, 29-28.
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If fans were looking for the spectacular knockout artist who held the championship in 2005-06, they ended up disappointed. Arlovski and Schaub appeared tentative for the bulk of the fight. While both managed to land their fair share of solid shots, neither came remotely close to finishing the other.
By the time the third round came around, though, Schaub ended up taking his share of damage. Although it wasn’t clear how it occurred, when the two stood after a period on the ground, Schaub had horrific swelling on one side of his face, most likely indicative of a broken jaw.
Arlovski (22-10, 1 NC) last fought in the UFC at UFC 82, where he finished Jake O’Brien for what at the time was his third straight win. He fought everywhere from Affliction to Strikeforce to World Series of Fighting since then, and has now won five of his last six fights.
“Don’t boo me please, I give you so much,” Arlovski told the crowd in Vancouver. “I would have rather won fight via KO. I never felt better for the fight, I came in great shape, great coached, I’m in the greatest organization in the world.”
Arlovski’s victory gave him 11 in the UFC, tied with three other fighters for second-most in company heavyweight history, trailing only Frank Mir (14).