Orlovsky shares his anticipated outcomes for Yan and Ankalaev's approaching bouts
Fight Talk from UFC Veteran Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski
Andrei Arlovski, the 34-12 former UFC heavyweight champ, shared his insights on upcoming battles for Russian contenders in the UFC. Here's what he had to say about Petr Yan and Magomed Ankalaev:
Petr Yan, who's facing Song Yadong at UFC 299 on March 9, is looking to make a comeback after three consecutive defeats. Arlovski thinks Yan has a challenging road ahead:
"Hopefully Yan's taken some time off and is primed for this one. His last bout was against Merab Dvalishvili on March 11, so he lost via unanimous decision. So, it's Yan's game - he's got a strong team, probably training at American Top Team. This fight could be quite the spectacle, and I'm betting it'll be a real test for Yan."
When it comes to Magomed Ankalaev, Arlovski isn't shy about his prediction. Ankalaev will take on Johnny Walker in the main event of UFC Fight Night 234 on January 13, following their no-contest in October due to an accidental illegal strike. Arlovski believes Ankalaev will finish Walker in the first or second round, and they'll both be on the same card:
"Ankalaev, in my opinion, will knock Walker out pretty quickly – within the first or second round. By the way, we're scheduled for the same event on January 13."
At the age of 44, Andrei Arlovski, a UFC stalwart since 2000 (having won the heavyweight title in 2005), will square off against American Waldo Cortes-Acosta, who's been competing under the UFC banner since October 2022, boasting a 3-1 record.
Insights:
Magomed Ankalaev, currently undefeated in 14 fights, recently defeated Alex Pereira at UFC 313. With a grappling-centric approach and impressive durability, Ankalaev is considered a favorite unless matched against an elite wrestler or Pereira in a rematch.
Petr Yan's top bantamweight contender status isn't reflected in the provided rankings or results, but he's shown technical striking and pace that make him a threat. However, his inconsistency in recent bouts, such as losses to Sean O'Malley and Aljamain Sterling, make solid predictions challenging without updated context.
- Andrei Arlovski, the former UFC heavyweight champ, believes Petr Yan, who is scheduled to fight Song Yadong at UFC 299 on March 9, will face a tough challenge after three consecutive defeats.
- Arlovski also predicts that Magomed Ankalaev, set to fight Johnny Walker in the main event of UFC Fight Night 234 on January 13, will knock out Walker within the first or second round.
- At UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev, currently undefeated in 14 fights, defeated Alex Pereira with a grappling-centric approach and impressive durability.
- Andrei Arlovski, a UFC stalwart since 2000, will face American Waldo Cortes-Acosta, who has been competing under the UFC banner since October 2022, on the same card as Ankalaev and Walker on January 13.
