UFC 51: Super Saturday—If at First You Don’t Succeed …
Tim Sylvia vs. Andrei Arlovski
Feb 2, 2005
SYLVIA: Tim Sylvia is
a submission fighter and traditional karate stylist with an 18-2
record in MMA. Sylvia is an Extreme Challenge and Superbrawl
veteran, the Gladiator Challenge superfight champion and the former
UFC heavyweight champion.
He trains with Justin Eilers, Ben Rothwell, Mike Whitehead, Nate Schroeder, Jeremy Horn and the members of Miletich Fighting Systems.
Sylvia began his MMA career fighting in the Rhode Island Vale Tudo
events where he went 1-1 (lost to UFC veteran Jorge Rivera). He appeared in the
IFC Battleground 2001 event and stopped his opponent Randy Durant with strikes in just
over two minutes.
From there he entered other smaller MMA shows including the Gladiators Challenge in California and Ultimate Wrestling in Minnesota. Tim made a number of appearances in Monte Cox’s Extreme Challenge events, defeating current Miletich fighter Ben Rothwell and RINGS USA veteran Greg Wikan.
He debuted in the Octagon at UFC 39 against Wesley Correira and treated those in attendance to the best bout on the card. “Cabbage” hung tough until his corner had seen enough and threw in the towel in the second round. Tim went on to make short work of Ricco Rodriguez and fellow giant Gan Mcgee in his follow-up appearances but fell victim to submission wizard Frank Mir in his only title shot. Sylvia defeated major league nemesis and minor league divisional threat Wes Sims at Superbrawl 38 last December.
ARLOVSKI: Belarusian native Andrei Arlovski is a Russian Sambo wrestler, kickboxer and International Master of Sport with a 9-3 record in MMA.
The two-time world sambo champion, M-1 world champion, European Championships veteran and European Cage Fighting veteran trains with sambo and Muay Thai fighter Dmitri Stepanov, kickboxer Andre Dudko and Rickson Gracie student Dino Costeas. Boxing trainer Arturo Salas and personal trainer Val Palanichka make up the rest of Arlovski’s team.
Andrei was also brought up to be an athlete. He was a soccer goalie as a teenager and enrolled in the police academy at 18, where he began learning Russian Sambo.
While earning the title “International Master of Sport,” Arlovski was exposed to boxing, sambo, wrestling, judo and a variety of military style training tactics. Andrei began fighting MMA in the M-1 in Russia and competed in the European Cage Fighting Championships (put on by Frederico Lapenda) before fighting in the UFC.
His Octagon debut was in UFC 28 against Aaron Brink, where he leg locked him in under a minute. Arlovski returned eight months later at UFC 32 to face former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez and was taken out with strikes early in the third round.
He showed new life and gave a gutsy performance at UFC 36 against Pedro Rizzo. He impressed many in defeat and was dropped by the heavy-handed Brazilian midway through the third round.
Back-to-back stoppages of UFC veterans Ian Freeman and Vladimir Matyushenko earned him a title shot for the unclaimed heavyweight title against former champion Tim Sylvia. While Tim was unable to compete due to problems outside the cage Arlovski faced a game Wesley Correira on short notice. “Cabbage” hung tough but could not defend against Arlovski’s darting movements and crisp striking and fell to strikes in the second round.
MY PICK: Arlovski. This is Andrei’s big shot. From recent coverage, it sounds like Tim is banking on the fact Andrei hasn’t fought any tall guys and will keep the fight standing. Sylvia’s stand-up striking is solid, most evident in the “Cabbage” fight when he threw devastating combinations that would’ve easily dropped most heavyweights.
He throws combinations and compliments them with knees to the body, but keeping it on the feet might be too much to hope for. Sims didn’t even test Sylvia’s arm and the sambo fighter from Belarus certainly will.
Arlovski is used to a fast-paced battle and has acquired the taste for striking in the UFC. If Andrei can cut off the ring and stay close where Tim will have trouble unloading, he may be able to answer some long pondered questions about Sylvia’s ground game en route to victory. Arlovski by TKO in the second round.
He trains with Justin Eilers, Ben Rothwell, Mike Whitehead, Nate Schroeder, Jeremy Horn and the members of Miletich Fighting Systems.
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From there he entered other smaller MMA shows including the Gladiators Challenge in California and Ultimate Wrestling in Minnesota. Tim made a number of appearances in Monte Cox’s Extreme Challenge events, defeating current Miletich fighter Ben Rothwell and RINGS USA veteran Greg Wikan.
Tim competed in the SuperBrawl 24 heavyweight tournament and won
four fights, all by knockout or TKO (including stable mate Mike Whitehead).
He debuted in the Octagon at UFC 39 against Wesley Correira and treated those in attendance to the best bout on the card. “Cabbage” hung tough until his corner had seen enough and threw in the towel in the second round. Tim went on to make short work of Ricco Rodriguez and fellow giant Gan Mcgee in his follow-up appearances but fell victim to submission wizard Frank Mir in his only title shot. Sylvia defeated major league nemesis and minor league divisional threat Wes Sims at Superbrawl 38 last December.
ARLOVSKI: Belarusian native Andrei Arlovski is a Russian Sambo wrestler, kickboxer and International Master of Sport with a 9-3 record in MMA.
The two-time world sambo champion, M-1 world champion, European Championships veteran and European Cage Fighting veteran trains with sambo and Muay Thai fighter Dmitri Stepanov, kickboxer Andre Dudko and Rickson Gracie student Dino Costeas. Boxing trainer Arturo Salas and personal trainer Val Palanichka make up the rest of Arlovski’s team.
Andrei was also brought up to be an athlete. He was a soccer goalie as a teenager and enrolled in the police academy at 18, where he began learning Russian Sambo.
While earning the title “International Master of Sport,” Arlovski was exposed to boxing, sambo, wrestling, judo and a variety of military style training tactics. Andrei began fighting MMA in the M-1 in Russia and competed in the European Cage Fighting Championships (put on by Frederico Lapenda) before fighting in the UFC.
His Octagon debut was in UFC 28 against Aaron Brink, where he leg locked him in under a minute. Arlovski returned eight months later at UFC 32 to face former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez and was taken out with strikes early in the third round.
He showed new life and gave a gutsy performance at UFC 36 against Pedro Rizzo. He impressed many in defeat and was dropped by the heavy-handed Brazilian midway through the third round.
Back-to-back stoppages of UFC veterans Ian Freeman and Vladimir Matyushenko earned him a title shot for the unclaimed heavyweight title against former champion Tim Sylvia. While Tim was unable to compete due to problems outside the cage Arlovski faced a game Wesley Correira on short notice. “Cabbage” hung tough but could not defend against Arlovski’s darting movements and crisp striking and fell to strikes in the second round.
MY PICK: Arlovski. This is Andrei’s big shot. From recent coverage, it sounds like Tim is banking on the fact Andrei hasn’t fought any tall guys and will keep the fight standing. Sylvia’s stand-up striking is solid, most evident in the “Cabbage” fight when he threw devastating combinations that would’ve easily dropped most heavyweights.
He throws combinations and compliments them with knees to the body, but keeping it on the feet might be too much to hope for. Sims didn’t even test Sylvia’s arm and the sambo fighter from Belarus certainly will.
Arlovski is used to a fast-paced battle and has acquired the taste for striking in the UFC. If Andrei can cut off the ring and stay close where Tim will have trouble unloading, he may be able to answer some long pondered questions about Sylvia’s ground game en route to victory. Arlovski by TKO in the second round.
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