Just hours before Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne took the cage for one classic round of heavyweight brawling, UFC leaders nearly waved off the bout before it started.
After his stirring first-round TKO victory, Arlovski revealed he injured his calf …
Just hours before Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne took the cage for one classic round of heavyweight brawling, UFC leaders nearly waved off the bout before it started.
After his stirring first-round TKO victory, Arlovski revealed he injured his calf during a training session just days before his bout Saturday at UFC 187.
“I am injured, I hurt my leg during my last workout on Thursday,” Arlovski said afterward in a statement released to reporters. “We finished up training, and I told my coach I wanted to go one more round just to test my reactions. We were moving around, and he kicked me on the inside of my shin, and I got a little cocky and started dancing around, and I felt something in my leg.”
But it turned out there was more to the story.
In a post-fight interview on Fox Sports 1 (per Shaun Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting), UFC President Dana White indicated Arlovski was still compromised as the card was set to begin, so much so that the UFC medical staff and White himself felt compelled to intervene:
Two hours before he came out, we didn’t think he was going to fight. He popped something in his calf the night before, could barely walk, was limping. The doctors checked him out and I guarantee you, he gritted it out to show the doctors that he could fight. So the doctors said, ‘It’s up to you, do you want to fight?’ He said, ‘Yes.’
Then I had people go get him and bring him to my dressing room and said, ‘Do you want to fight? Are you sure you want to take this fight? You don’t have to take this fight.’ He looked at me and said, ‘Is this seriously why you just called me back here?’ I said yeah. He said, ‘I’m fighting,’ and he left my dressing room. And then came out and did that.
There was no outward indication during the fight that Arlovski was injured, and the exact nature or extent of his injury remained unclear Sunday.
Assuming he was indeed injured, Arlovski’s memorable victory just became even more impressive.
Arlovski rocked Browne with punches early, and during the ensuing rush to finish, he was floored by Browne. Arlovski recovered, however, and put the favorite away with punches, knees and elbows at 4:41 of the opening round.
It was the latest chapter in an unlikely and amazing career resurgence for the 36-year-old Arlovski, who is 3-0 since rejoining the UFC just a year ago. After his win Saturday, he may even be in the mix for a heavyweight title shot.
5 years ago, Andrei Arlovski was thought of as a chinless hasbeen and was playing Russian roulette after losses. Now this. It is spiriting.
Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne had the round of the year on Saturday night and quite possibly the Fight of the Year thus far in 2015. You have to watch these highlights courtesy of Fox Sports.
Entering the fight, Browne was potentially fighting for …
Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne had the round of the year on Saturday night and quite possibly the Fight of the Year thus far in 2015. You have to watch these highlights courtesy of Fox Sports.
Entering the fight, Browne was potentially fighting for a title shot. He was the No. 3-ranked contender and the heavyweight with the best win streak of the potential contenders. A win at UFC 187 looked like it could propel him toward a title shot.
On the opposite side of the cage, No. 8-ranked Arlovski was seeking to continue his story of redemption. Once left for dead in this division and thought of as merely a washed-up hack, he is now enjoying a career resurgence.
Arlovski got on the offensive early. He connected with heavy punches and hurt Browne. The Pit Bull did not get wild with his strikes while seeking a finish; he was not going to overexpose himself. Even still, the tempo started to ramp up. Arlovski continued his onslaught.
Then out of nowhere Browne connected. Arlovski buckled.
It looked as if Browne would escape with a come-from-behind victory. Instead, Arlovski survived long enough to get back to his feet and continue firing back at Browne. The Belarusian repeatedly connected, and the punches forced the referee to step in between the heavyweights to signal the end of the fight.
The exciting TKO victory now moves Arlovski into position for a potential title fight. He is enjoying a five-fight win streak that includes three wins in the Octagon. A title fight against the winner of UFC 188’s unification bout would not be unjust.
Making the performance even more spectacular is the fact that the UFC did not even think Arlovski could fight two hours before the event, according to Shaun Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting. Arlovski suffered a calf injury the night before the fight. Dana White told Arlovski he didn’t have to take the fight, and doctors said it was his choice whether to compete.
Arlovski made that walk to the cage to put on a show.
This was the fight everyone needed. The start to UFC 187 was lackluster. The main card delivered in a big way, and Arlovski and Browne were a major reason for that. We won’t soon forget their frantic first round, which has lasting impact on the heavyweight division.
The fight will go down as one of the year’s best. Enjoy the highlights of the crazy heavyweight action.
Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne put on an exciting heavyweight showcase at UFC 187 on Saturday night. Arlovski had Browne hurt early and pressured him in the cage until Browne landed a massive shot of his own to drop the former champion.
The Pit…
Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne put on an exciting heavyweight showcase at UFC 187 on Saturday night. Arlovski had Browne hurt early and pressured him in the cage until Browne landed a massive shot of his own to drop the former champion.
The Pit Bull was able to pull himself together and gain the stoppage before the end of the first round. Now, the veteran of the Octagon can continue the rebirth of his career with these fight suggestions.
UFC 187 got off to a rocky start with some lackluster prelims, but the main card turned it up to 11.
All five fights delivered.
Flyweights John Moraga and Joseph Benavidez performed at a high level and had some good grappling exchanges. Lightweights D…
UFC 187 got off to a rocky start with some lackluster prelims, but the main card turned it up to 11.
All five fights delivered.
Flyweights John Moraga and Joseph Benavidez performed at a high level and had some good grappling exchanges. Lightweights Donald Cerrone and John Makdessi showcased their standing in the next fight. Then Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne tore the house down.
And the night wasn’t over. There were still two title fights to go.
Chris Weidman and Daniel Cormier continued to show the power of USA Wrestling. Both men took their opponents down and dominated. Weidman in quicker fashion with a TKO in the first round, and Cormier got the submission in the third after breaking Anthony Johnson.
After that main card, who won the bonuses? Here’s who:
Performance of the Night: Chris Weidman
Weidman got $50,000 in performance bonus money for his destruction of VitorBelfort.
He had to take a few punches during Belfort‘s early flurry, but he was never in big danger. He covered up nicely while Belfort wasted energy. Then came the takedown. Once Belfort was down, Weidman easily passed into mount where he landed quality ground-and-pound.
The first-round TKO finish was certainly worth the bonus cash.
Performance of the Night: Daniel Cormier
It was almost a short night for Cormier.
DC got dropped by an early overhand right from Johnson, but he was able to recover. Once he regained his bearings, DC was able to initiate his game plan. Cormier‘s wrestling is vastly superior to Johnson’s, and he made him carry his weight.
Johnson gassed visibly very quickly. In the second round, Johnson was only able to muster a short burst of strikes before once again meeting the mat. In the third, Cormier finished with a rear-naked choke.
After the fight, Cormier called out Jon Jones. Jones is still indefinitely suspended, but UFC President Dana White said earlier in the week he will get an immediate title shot once he is reinstated. Thus, it would appear the second fight between the rivals is on tap once Jones is clear to return.
But this is all about UFC 187. Cormier‘s championship showing earned him pocket change.
Fight of the Night: Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Browne
There is no other choice than the crazy, insane, fantastic heavyweight scrap between Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne.
It was bonkers.
Arlovski rocked Browne repeatedly only to nearly suffer a knockout loss. Arlovski worked back up to his feet and hurt Browne again! This time he was able to finish. And I am underselling what happened in that fight. The round of the year.
The heavyweight tilt may very well be at the top of the list for Fight of the Year in 2015. It was that good. Time will tell what the victory does for Arlovski, but there is little doubt this was one of his most memorable fights. It was an instant classic. Fantastic fight worth every penny.
Andrei Arlovski defeated Travis Browne in a wild heavyweight contest at UFC 187.
These two went to war in a slugfest—one that Arlovski got the better of.
Arlovski and Browne earned bonus checks with that performance. They threw down and got the …
These two went to war in a slugfest—one that Arlovski got the better of.
Arlovski and Browne earned bonus checks with that performance. They threw down and got the crowd on their feet. After Arlovski stunned Browne early in the first round, it was all uphill from there. Arlovski went after the finish, but Browne’s chin held up.
Shot after shot, and suddenly Browne tagged Arlovski. Then he rebounded to knock out Browne in Round 1. It is exhausting just typing the action that these top-10 heavyweights brought. This is what we learned from this extraordinary bout.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
That round. Wow! Chaos. Beautiful chaos.
Arlovski stuns and staggers Browne multiple times, only to be dropped by Browne. Arlovski gets back up and puts it to Browne again! It was crazy. The referee stepped in to save Browne, but these two most certainly earned Fight of the Night.
It was remarkable.
What We Learned About Travis Browne
He is not a legitimate title threat.
Browne is big. He should have been able to stick Arlovski on the outside. Instead, his style allowed The Pit Bull to easily come over the top to catch him. Browne has the raw ability to be a threat, but he has not put it together.
The elite of this division are a mountain in front of Browne—a mountain he cannot climb at this time. There are still plenty of entertaining fights for Browne and plenty of time for him to start to put the pieces of the puzzle in place.
What We Learned About Andrei Arlovski
He still has it.
The former UFC heavyweight champion was counted out not too long ago. He was left for dead as just another relic on the downside of his career. Suddenly, look who is back in contention for a title shot.
He has even started to settle concerns about his chin. He has eaten some heavy shots and not gone out. In this one, he absorbed a tough shot and quickly got back up to finish the fight. He is a contender. The UFC has another old-timer doing work.
What’s Next for Browne
It has to be another top-10 fight, and the only man who makes sense is Mark Hunt. The UFC would be best-served by finding a slow, unranked heavyweight for Browne, but that’s not the position he is in.
Hunt is coming off a loss, and a fight with Browne would be a great affair. It could be a good co-main event for the future UFC Japan card later this year. Hunt has a big following in Japan, and it is a good way to get him on the card.
What’s Next for Arlovski
Arlovski got his third straight win in the UFC and his fifth overall. That is enough to earn a title shot.
Sure, Stipe Miocic beat down Mark Hunt and is ranked higher, but Arlovski is on a better streak. And after his UFC 187 performance, who doesn’t want another redemption story with Arlovski getting a title shot?
Miocic is not even on a winning streak. A singular win over Hunt shouldn’t be enough to earn a title shot. What Arlovski has done—he last lost to Anthony Johnson in March 2013—is phenomenal. He earned a title shot if he is healthy enough.
Give him the winner of the UFC 188 title unification bout between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum.
Fighting a friend and former training partner is never ideal, but in a sport like MMA, sometimes you have to strap the gloves tight, shake on it and throw hands at your brother’s face.
Such is the case for the UFC 187 tilt between Travis “Hapa” B…
Fighting a friend and former training partner is never ideal, but in a sport like MMA, sometimes you have to strap the gloves tight, shake on it and throw hands at your brother’s face.
Such is the case for the UFC 187 tilt between Travis “Hapa” Browne and Andrei “The Pit Bull” Arlovski.
The two top-10 heavyweights trained together for roughly two years at the esteemed Jackson-Winkeljohn fight camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they learned from each other and pushed each other on a daily basis.
Browne has since moved on to California’s Glendale Fighting Club, but the towering 6’7″ Hawaiian told Bleacher Report the days spent trading blows with Arlovski are not forgotten. These sparring sessions gave him vital insight into Arlovski and his MMA game, lending him knowledge and insight he feels others may not recognize.
“One thing I’ve really noticed about him is his ability to take shots,” Browne said. “Being a buddy of his for the longest time, for two years or so, that was one thing that really stood out to me. In the past, people would say he has a problem with his chin and stuff like that, but I don’t agree. The guy has fought some of the biggest guys out there, and I feel like he’s right back in there in the mix. He can take shots with the best of them.
“The thing with Andrei, too, is that he’s an athlete. He’s always changing his game; he’s always making adjustments. He’s very good at different techniques, and he can game plan.”
That said, Browne knows better than to hang all of his expectations on the past. He knows how much he’s evolved since his time at Jackson-Winkeljohn’s, and he understands Arlovski has experienced similar growth and change.
“He changes every time he fights, and I change every time I fight,” Browne said. “I feel like I might have an idea of what goes on at Jackson-Winkeljohn’s, but at the same time, that’s why Coach Jackson and Coach Winkeljohn are considered some of the best. They’re able to game plan and bring the best out of their athletes.”
One thing Browne is sure about, however, is there’s not going to be a letdown for the fans when the two step into the cage. They’re cordial and respectful of each other’s skill, sure, but they’re not going to let feelings get in the way of a good old-fashioned throwdown.
“Him and I fighting each other are like two brothers fighting,” Browne said. “I have no hesitation in going out there and fighting him, and he doesn’t have any hesitation in going out there and fighting me, so it’s not going to be a game of patty-cake. We’re going out there to fight and provide for our fans.”
Training under coaches Edmond Tarverdyan, Neil Melanson and Ricky Lundell at Glendale Fighting Club, Browne hopes to show off his improvements in full Saturday evening in Las Vegas. His first fight under their tutelage—a first-round stoppage of Brendan Schaub at UFC 181 in December 2014—was impressive, and it helped to prove to fans and critics why he made the jump to California.
While many questioned his decision to leave the high-profile Albuquerque-based camp, Browne said he feels more comfortable and better prepared than ever heading into his fight opposite The Pit Bull.
“I feel like every time I train, I’m moving so far forward. I’m constantly evolving,” Browne said. “For me, what’s really worked out with Coach Edmond, and having Neal and Ricky here, is that I don’t get lost in any kind of a shuffle. My camp is made specifically for me and what I need.
“The one thing I’ve learned about this sport is that it’s OK to be selfish at times. That’s [training for a fight is] one of the times that every fighter should be selfish.”
Should he defeat Arlovski at UFC 187, Browne might need to get a little selfish in his bid for the UFC heavyweight title.
Hapa is currently ranked No. 3 in the UFC’s heavyweight division, and a win over the No. 8 Arlovski puts him on a two-fight winning streak, giving him a strong case to face the winner of UFC 188’s main event in June between champion Cain Velasquez and interim champion Fabricio Werdum.
To Browne, though, there’s no rush for gold. The title will be there. As long as he keeps winning, the UFC won’t have a choice but to give him his shot, and he intends to make the most of it when it comes.
“The title shot, the way I look at it is I just have to go out there and do my job,” Browne said. “If I keep winning fights, there’s no way they can’t give me that title shot. So that’s definitely something that’s on my mind but not necessarily right now at the forefront. I have to go out there and win the fight first then get ready.”
If the path to the title means taking another fight or two in the meantime, that’d be just fine, too. Browne is relaxed and patient, and he knows he’ll be ready to pounce when the light turns green.
“Yeah, [I’d be OK with taking another fight before the title shot]. I mean, it’s what the UFC wants. At the end of the day, it’s their world,” Browne said. “We fight in the UFC. It’s not my company, so if they say, ‘Hey, we want you to fight [No. 4-ranked heavyweight] Stipe [Miocic],’ then I feel like I have the heart of a champion, and we have to be ready to fight anybody. When you’re the champ, you take on all newcomers, so it is what it is.”
Just hours before Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne took the cage for one classic round of heavyweight brawling, UFC leaders nearly waved off the bout before it started.