LAS VEGAS -- There have been two distinct Anrdrei Arlovskis during the former UFC heavyweight champion's comeback run.
He's won all four of his fights since his return, but knockout wins over Travis Browne and "Bigfoot" Silva were two of the most memorable finishes in recent years. Decision victories over Brendan Schaub and Frank Mir fall into the category of "the less said, the better."
But with a very dangerous opponent on tap Saturday night in Stipe Miocic in the co-main event of UFC 195, Arlovski said he can't spend too much time worrying about whether or not his fight is a crowd pleaser.
"Listen, I can tell you right now, I can list 10 reasons why I didn't fight good against Schaub and against Mir," Arlovski said at Wednesday's open workouts at the MGM Grand. "But who cares? now I'm facing a really dangerous opponent, so hopefully everything goes right. I did great, I had a great camp."
Of course, Arlovski has to know on some level that style points are going to matter in the bout with the heavy-hitting Miocic. Arlovski's JacksonWink campmate, Alistair Overeem, made his case for the shot at the winner of the Feb. 6 bout between heavyweight champ Fabricio Werdum and former titleholder Cain Velasquez with a stunning knockout of Junior dos Santos last month.
Fair or not, these things help determine title shots in the UFC. But as far as Arlovski is concerned, if he doesn't defeat Miocic, the whole matter of getting a chance to regain the title he held a decade ago will be moot either way.
"I don't even think about a title shot," Arlovski said. "I have a dangerous opponent in front of me. I'm focused on beating Stipe and then it's up to the UFC whether I get the shot or not."
