The UFC 174 card scheduled for June 14th, 2014 in Vancouver, Canada features the return of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski, as he takes on Brendan Schaub on the main card of the show. For Arlovski, it is a much awaited return to the big show, as he has been active with the World Series of Fighting recently, while Schaub has strung together 2 wins in a row in the UFC octagon and is looking to move up in the rankings.
Where the line will come in for this fight is anyone’s guess. Arlovksi remains largely unchanged since his UFC days – he is a long, mobile heavyweight who throws big punches. He doesn’t have a great ground game, but he is tough to take down and he hits hard. He has a glass jaw, which makes him less dangerous standing than he could be, as he has been put to sleep enough times that he is defensive and does not come in reckless.
For Schaub, he represents a challenge because he is a much more sophisticated striker than Matt Mitrione or Lavar Johnson, the two men Schaub has defeated in his last 2 outings. Arlovski’s experience and movement are still unique for a heavyweight if he uses it correctly.
But Schaub is called ‘The Hybrid’ for a reason, and if he comes in with a game plan, he can win the fight. Arlovski will have the advantages in experience, height and reach going into the fight, and he has gone 6-1 in his last series of fights, most recently with the World Series of Fighting. If Schaub comes in with a gameplan that he executes, Arlovksi still has weaknesses in his game that can be expolited.
Schaub is going to be best suited to fighting on the ground here. Getting Arlovski down is hard, but if Schaub can use his strikes to set up a takedown early, he has a chance. Arlovski has increasingly become a slow starter as he has aged, and he plays defense first, which could allow Schaub to dictate the pace of the fight.
It is an interesting fight on paper, and Arlovski brings the potential of fireworks, but the more likely outcome is a methodical fight where both guys do not do wnough and they leave it to the judges.
