Andrei Arlovski: I'll Fight Fedor Emelianenko Like a Lightweight

Andrei Arlovski says in the latest installment of Arlovski 360 that he's going to fight Fedor Emelianenko like a lightweight at Affliction: Day of Reckoning:

"I try to fight like a lightweight," Arlovski said. "I try to be fast on my feet. I try to show good technique -- boxing technique, wrestling technique, jiu jitsu technique."

Arlovski's strength and conditioning coach adds that Arlovski weighs 245 pounds and moves like he's 150 pounds, and I think it's true that Arlovski has a great size-speed combination. I don't think there's much question that Arlovski is a better athlete than Fedor: He's bigger than Fedor, stronger than Fedor, faster than Fedor, more sculpted than Fedor.

But MMA isn't the decathlon, and I'm not sure how relevant all of that is for Arlovski. For as long as he's been in this sport, Fedor has had a unique ability to dominate fights while looking like he's hardly breaking a sweat, while opponents, many of whom are bigger and some of whom are faster, break down against him. Even if Arlovski has the punching power of a heavyweight and the footwork of a lightweight, he's still the underdog against Fedor.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-18-2009 @ 6:47PM

Todd said...

This is going to be a great fight.

1-18-2009 @ 11:01PM

chris said...

Fedor has no holes in is game. He can handle himself on the ground and submit you with an arm bar or leg-lock via his expertise in Sambo or he can bang as hard as anyone in MMA and can even use the jab well as evidenced in his last fight with Minotauro. Fedor beat one of the best pure athletes the sport has ever seen when he submited Kevin Randleman in Pride, so Arlovski can't just show up with a ripped physique and look cool. I predict Arlovski will box with Fedor for a while-maybe even cut him a little, but will end up getting submitted. Fedor's no dummy and will do what he has to do to win

1-19-2009 @ 12:08PM

Jason said...

Arlovski may be a couple inches taller and 10 pounds heavier, but Fedor is stronger(Renalto Sobral and Mark Coleman said he was the strongest person they've ever fought or wrestled), Fedor is faster(pretty much every agrees he's the fastest heavyweight, people though Cro Cop was fast until Fedor dominated him), and as far as being sculpted, what does that have to do with being a fighter or athlete? This isn't a beauty contest, it's a fight that Fedor has the advantage in standing(slightly) and on the ground(definitely). Once its on the ground, I can't see the fight lasting more than a couple minutes.

1-20-2009 @ 3:01AM

M13 said...

Even on the feet I don't think Arlovski can take a hit from Fedor (Ex. Arlovski vs. Sylvia 2).

1-20-2009 @ 1:00PM

onlyme8549 said...

I think Arlovski has a pretty good chance of upsetting Fedor. I'm going to root for the underdog on this fight.

1-20-2009 @ 1:41PM

Eric said...

I think that Fedor is faster, and I think he will be the dominate fighter in the clinch position.

Fedor fought 2 of the strongest athletes in MMA back-to-back in 2004 (Coleman & Randleman) ... it took him less than 4 minutes to beat both. Fedor appeared indestructible when he was horribly suplexed by Randleman - he then reversed Randleman and submitted him moments later.