Andrei Arlovski | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

Andrei Arlovski vs. Antonio Silva: What We Learned from Heavyweight Tilt

More than four years after Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva outlasted Andrei Arlovski in their first bout, the 35-year-old Belarusian exacted his revenge in the Octagon in Bigfoot’s home country of Brazil on Saturday.
Arlovski needed just two minutes, 59 s…

Arlovski needed just two minutes, 59 seconds to dispose of the hulking Brazilian with a brutal knockout in the main event of UFC Fight Night 51 at Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia.

Arlovski more than made up for a lackluster performance in his last bout, a controversial split-decision win over Brendan Schaub at UFC 174.

Bigfoot, on the contrary, hasn’t scored a win since TKO’ing the now-fading Alistair Overeem at UFC 156 in early 2013.

Here’s a look at what we learned from this heavyweight rematch.

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

Unlike his fight with Schaub, Arlovski ensured that fans would have something positive to talk about following his rematch with Bigfoot the instant he landed a venomous right straight that put the KO into motion.

Bigfoot absorbed the right straight midway through the first round and crashed to the canvas before absorbing a barrage of hammerfists from Arlovski that rendered him unconscious.

The bout’s referee, Jerin Valel, had seen enough and intervened to save Bigfoot from any further punishment.

What We Learned About Antonio Silva

Although Silva may have advantages over many UFC heavyweights in the strength and size departments, the 35-year-old former title challenger struggles greatly with speedier and more technically sound heavyweights.

Silva has lost via KO/TKO in four of his last seven bouts, and the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has notched just two wins since joining the UFC in the spring of 2012.

After showing that he couldn’t keep up with the wrestling of champion Cain Velasquez, Bigfoot has now been exposed as an average boxer.

What We Learned About Andrei Arlovski

With his future in doubt, the 14th-ranked Arlovski answered his critics and earned one of the most pivotal wins of his career, doing so in highlight-reel fashion against the fourth-ranked Silva.

Arlovski clearly showed that he still has the speed and striking skills that helped him win the UFC heavyweight belt in 2005.

At 35, he obviously still has enough power, speed and killer instinct to hang with the best heavyweights in the world.

What’s Next For Silva

Bigfoot dropped to 2-3-1 in the UFC, and coming off a nine-month suspension for a failed drug test, it’s safe to say that the hulking Brazilian has found himself on the hot seat.

Thankfully for Bigfoot, the heavyweight division appears in utter disarray at the moment. So for the time being, Silva can consider his job with the UFC safe.

However, with losses in two of his last three fights, he will certainly have his work cut out for him on his road back to the top.

A bout with the ninth-ranked Ben Rothwell would suit Bigfoot just fine once he gets cleared to fight again.

What’s Next For Arlovski

In his second stint with the UFC, Arlovski ran his winning streak to four with his KO of Silva, which was his first pure KO since putting away journeyman Travis Fulton in 2011.

Because he was so underwhelming in his win over Schaub, Arlovski still needs several wins before becoming a bona fide title contender.

That doesn’t mean UFC matchmaker Joe Silva won’t pit Arlovski with one of the division’s studs, like the fifth-ranked Stipe Miocic or the sixth-ranked Josh Barnett.

Arlovski would certainly be tabbed an underdog against either Miocic or Barnett, but a win would catapult him into the heavyweight title picture.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

VIDEO: Andrei Arlovski Knocks Out Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC Fight Night 51

(Props: nflprofit)

Here’s the absolutely savage finish of tonight’s UFC Fight Night 51 main event, in which Andrei Arlovski floored Antonio Silva with a right hand, dropped some of the nastiest hammerfists in MMA history on Bigfoot’s poor noggin, then did a little shimmy-shake to celebrate.

The performance was a hell of a step up from Arlovski’s snoozer against Brendan Schaub at UFC 174 in June. Do we need to start taking the Pitbull seriously as a UFC heavyweight contender again? And who would you like to see him fight next?

(Props: nflprofit)

UFC Fight Night 51: For Andrei Arlovski, the Return Is as Big as the Result

Andrei Arlovski used to be a big fish in a small pond.
He was the best heavyweight on a UFC roster that was filled with wheezing barroom brawlers and bulging bellies.
Back then he was a lean, mean fighting machine. Putting him up against some of the co…

Andrei Arlovski used to be a big fish in a small pond.

He was the best heavyweight on a UFC roster that was filled with wheezing barroom brawlers and bulging bellies.

Back then he was a lean, mean fighting machine. Putting him up against some of the combatants of 10 years ago almost seemed unfair. His blend of lethal hands and legitimate grappling chops was the stuff dreams were made of.

Slap in your fanged mouthguard and go to work, Prime Andrei.

That Arlovski won six in a row from 2002-05, including an interim heavyweight title win and a couple of defenses along the way. He was stopping fools left and right, be it with technically marvelous movement and strikes or with the occasional crafty footlock.

He was an athlete in a division and at a time that athletes hadn’t yet arrived. He was the first guy to really show UFC fans what a heavyweight could be: well-rounded, powerful and skillful.

No one knew at the time, but he was a prototype of the men he’d be facing when he returned to the promotion after a hiatus of six years. He was the precursor to the Travis Brownes and Stipe Miocics of the world, the athletic monsters who believed MMA was a better use of their talents than dunking a basketball or whacking a baseball.

That’s why Arlovski’s win at UFC Fight Night 51 is almost irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Sure it’s nice to have—it might even make him into a contender in the tumultuous heavyweight class—but his legacy goes beyond what happened in a fight few really cared about in a gymnasium in Brazil. He was the first of a generation, a man who was winning when the UFC couldn’t get on television and who’s still winning when you seemingly can’t get the UFC off television.

Arlovski is one of the rare guys who was able to leave the promotion, go make some money on his own terms, then return amicably for a chance to end his career where he should. He’s beloved the world over for his charisma and career-defining showings when the sport was burgeoning, and all that came from his run as the king of the UFC’s big men a decade ago.

For him to peter out in some regional promotion or spend three years getting knocked out by nobodies would have been a shame. To see him back in that pond he patrolled so dutifully years ago, still scoring big wins over big names, offers a symmetry that isn’t often enjoyed in this sport.

Sometimes that’s even better than the outcome itself.

Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 51 Results: Andrei Arlovski KOs Bigfoot Silva

(Fight Pass shows only get the stock image treatment. / Photo via Getty)

You might not have noticed since all the other MMA sites were reporting about Floyd Mayweather Jr. tonight, but the UFC had an event on Fight Pass, UFC Fight Night 51.

Efrain Escudero made his (unsuccessful) return to the UFC against Leonardo Santos. Santos controlled the first round of the encounter. However, Escudero managed to drop Santos in the second with a right hand. It appeared to change the complexion of the fight as Santos became deflated and tired. In the third, Escudero was light on his feet and it looked like he’d pull away with the decision. This wasn’t meant to be. Santos found some source of inner strength (or Escudero stopped paying attention; who knows) and landed a huge takedown. From the takedown, he managed to take Escudero’s back and held the position until the round ended. This was enough to give Santos the unanimous decision victory.

Get the recaps for the other fights after the jump.

(Fight Pass shows only get the stock image treatment. / Photo via Getty)

UFC Fight Night 51 happened on Fight Pass tonight. You might not have noticed since all the other so-called “MMA” sites are too busy writing about Floyd Mayweather Jr. Ugh.

So was this event worth checking out? Kind of. When it becomes available for replay on Fight Pass, watch the main event. Despite that fight being the only one really worth watching on the main card, we recapped some other higher profile fights from the event.

In the co-main event, Gleison Tibau fought Piotr Hallman. Here’s a protip on this fight: Skip it. Tibau displayed his characteristic lack of conditioning. He torched his gas tank with a large flurry in the beginning. The rest of the fight was basically just non-stop clinching against the cage with zero activity. Hallman managed to cut Tibau with a knee to the head late in the third round. It didn’t matter though; Tibau got the decision because he spent more time pushing Hallman against the fence than Hallman spent pushing him against the fence. Even Jon Anik described this fight as “exhausting” to watch.

The main event: Andrei Arlovski took on Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in a rematch of their Strikeforce bout from 2010. This time, Arlovski was the one who got his hand raised. The fight didn’t last long. Bigfoot was slow and plodding, Arlovski was agile and had much faster hands. Eventually, Arlovski tagged Bigfoot with an uppercut that dropped him flat on his ass. Arlovski pounced on Bigfoot and landed a series of hammer fists that put Bigfoot out cold. We’re hesitant to say Arlovski is “back” but he could be back.

Here are the complete results:

Main Card

Andrei Arlovski def. Antonio Silva via KO (punches), 2:59 of round 1.
Gleison Tibau def. Piotr Hallman via unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Leonardo Santos def. Efrain Escudero unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Wendell Oliveira via TKO (punches), 1:20 of round 1.
Iuri Alcântara def. Russell Doane via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Jéssica Andrade def. Larissa Pacheco via submission (guillotine choke), 4:33 of round 1.

Preliminary Card

Godofredo Castro def. Dashon Johnson via submission (triangle armbar), 4:29 of round 1.
George Sullivan def. Igor Araújo via KO (punches), 2:31 of round 2.
Francisco Trinaldo def. Leandro Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Sean Spencer def. Paulo Thiago via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Rani Yahya def. Johnny Bedford via submission (kimura), 2:04 of round 2.

Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva Excited for Homecoming at UFC Fight Night 51

After nearly a decade spent battling with the world’s best heavyweights around the globe, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva is finally coming home.
The Brasilia, Brazil, native will not only be returning to the city he was born in when he steps into the Octagon …

After nearly a decade spent battling with the world’s best heavyweights around the globe, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva is finally coming home.

The Brasilia, Brazil, native will not only be returning to the city he was born in when he steps into the Octagon to face Andrei Arlovski this Saturday night at Fight Night 51, but it will also mark the first time in his professional career he will be competing in front of his countrymen.

That detail seems to be a curious wrinkle, especially considering the UFC’s extended presence in Brazil over the past four years. Nevertheless, “Bigfoot” is excited to finally be getting the chance to compete on his native soil.

His journey through mixed martial arts has taken him around the world and back, and on Saturday night, Silva intends to give his hometown crowd a show to remember.

“It is awesome to be fighting in Brazil because this will be the first fight in my entire career where the crowd will be with me instead of against me,” Silva told Bleacher Report with the assistance of a translator. “Every time I’ve fought before the crowd has been on the side of my opponent. That won’t be the case this time, and I’m very excited.”

When Silva steps in to face “The Pit Bull” on Saturday night, it will bring his nine-month layoff to an end. The last time fight fans saw him in action, it was against legendary powerhouse Mark Hunt when the two heavyweight juggernauts engaged in a battle for the ages at Fight Night 33 last December. The bout turned into a five-round war that saw both men pushed to their physical limits, with the end result being a majority draw on the judges’ scorecards.

The clash between Silva and Hunt was immediately heralded as one of the best heavyweight fights in MMA history, but the good vibes would soon turn sour when Silva tested positive for elevated testosterone levels in his post-fight drug test.

The 35-year-old would be issued a nine-month suspension, and the majority draw would be changed to a no-contest in the official record books. Nevertheless, being on the sidelines gave Silva time to heal old injuries and allowed him to lock his focus on making a triumphant return in his next fight.

The opportunity to do so will come against Arlovski this weekend in Brazil. Even though the two men originally squared off four years ago under the Strikeforce banner, Silva is treating their tilt on Saturday night like a fresh start. He’s confident he will have what it takes to get the job done again and believes what he brings to the table will be too much for the Jackson-Winkeljohn-trained fighter to handle.

“I had some small injuries and an operation on my shoulder, but I stayed in training,” Silva said. “Throughout it all I was always looking forward to my next fight.

“Arlovski is very good with his stand up, but I’m comfortable wherever this fight goes. I’m confident with my striking and my skills on the ground as well. I think the weight difference is going to play a factor in this fight for sure.

“I’m very happy to be returning to the Octagon,” he added. “I’m excited to encounter victory once again.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 51: Silva vs. Arlovski Fight Card, Live Stream and Predictions

In his home country of Brazil, on the day before his 35th birthday, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva will face UFC legend Andrei “Pitbull” Arlovski in the main event of UFC Fight Night 51.
The event takes place at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil on …

In his home country of Brazil, on the day before his 35th birthday, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva will face UFC legend Andrei “Pitbull” Arlovski in the main event of UFC Fight Night 51.

The event takes place at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil on Saturday. Preliminary bouts begin at 5:45 p.m. ET and the main card starts at 7 p.m. The entire event will be streamed exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

Check out this sick theme art by Stretch Thompson.

In Silva’s last bout, he battled Mark Hunt to a draw in what many would call one of the greatest heavyweight fights in UFC history. Silva tested positive for elevated testosterone levels after that bout and was subsequently suspended and stripped of his Fight of the Night bonus. It was the second time Silva had been suspended for anabolic agents.

With that behind him, he looks to tame the Pitbull. The two men met back in 2010 when both were in Strikeforce. Silva won that bout by unanimous decision.

After a six-year absence, Arlovski’s return to the UFC resulted in a split-decision victory over Brendan “Big Brown” Schaub in June. Quite honestly, that decision was ridiculous. The fight was a snooze fest, but Schaub deserved the win. Somehow, two judges saw it in Arlovski’s favor.

With the official win on the judges’ scorecard, Arlovski looks to take on another major challenge. That is the main event, but there are other mildly interesting bouts on this UFC Fight Pass exclusive.

Here’s a look at the full card and predictions. Just beneath the table is a closer look at the top three fights on the card.

Leonardo Santos Will Put on a Show Against Efrain Escudero

Both Leonardo Santos and Efrain Escudero are excellent submission fighters. The two men have 20 submission wins between them. Because of the fighter’s prowess on the ground, this one could wind up being fought predominantly in stand-up.

Santos is a native of Brazil who will have the fans behind him and he is on a roll of sorts. He hasn’t lost a fight since 2009, but he did battle Norman Parke to a draw in his last outing.

Escudero is headed for his third stint in the UFC, but he isn’t exactly on a hot streak. Though he won his last bout, he’s still not far removed from a four-fight losing streak from 2011-2013.

With a penchant for slow starts and lulls in activity, Escudero doesn’t match up well with the longer (6’0″ to 5’9″) Santos fighting in front of his countrymen. Look for Santos to outwork Escudero with cleaner and more effective striking en route to an impressive unanimous-decision win.

Piotr Hallmann Will Impress With Submission Win over Gleison Tibau

Raise your hand if you’re shocked Gleison Tibau is only 31 years old. He’s seemingly been around forever, but he’s never quite become an elite fighter in the UFC.

Piotr Hallmann brings a skill set into the Octagon that will be troubling for Tibau. He has the grappling proficiency to handle the Brazilian veteran on the ground, and he’s slick enough with his striking to pick Tibau apart in the stand-up game. Hallmann‘s striking accuracy is 43 percent compared to Tibau‘s less-than-ideal rate of 33 percent.

Tibau will look to take the fight to the ground once he sees that he has nothing for Hallmann standing. Matters won’t improve for Tibau once the fight goes to the mat. Hallmann‘s already strong submission game has improved in the last two years. His last two wins have come by tapout.

Though he hit a bit of a snag against Al Iaquinta in Oct. 2013, the best is yet to come from Hallmann. His submission win over Yves Edwards in June was just the first step toward a rise into the lightweight top 10.

He’ll win in impressive fashion by becoming just the second man to submit Tibau in his career.

Antonio Silva Will Leave No Doubt in Win over Arlovski

Arlovski didn’t deserve to win his last bout, but the judges dropped the ball. Bigfoot won’t give them the chance in this one. Arlovski’s only chance to win is to keep the fight standing, but that didn’t work out well in his first meeting with Silva.

In their first fight, Bigfoot easily out-struck Arlovski, dazing him on several occasions. Arlovski had a hand-speed advantage, but his defense was suspect and Bigfoot countered accurately and with more power.

If the fight goes to the ground, Silva’s size, strength and grappling prowess will lead to a ground-and-pound victory. If it stays standing, the Brazilian’s heavy-handedness, solid chin and counter-punching ability will do in the Pitbull.

Charged by his return to the Octagon and an appearance in front of his Brazilian fans, Bigfoot will squash Arlovski by KO.

Fighter heights and statistics per FightMetric.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. I dig boxing and MMA.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com