UFC Predictions: UFC Fight Night: Aspen Ladd vs. Norma Dumont

#2. Andrei Arlovski vs. Carlos Felipe - UFC heavyweight

Former UFC heavyweight kingpin Andrei Arlovski is still ticking at the age of 42

The fact that Andrei Arlovski is still competing in the UFC right now is a miracle in its own right. The former UFC heavyweight champion is now 42 years old. Despite being written off well over a decade ago, he continues to truck away and is actually coming off a win.

Part of the reason for ‘The Pitbull’ being able to stick around so long has to do with his natural athleticism and the fact that he’s kept himself in remarkable shape for a man of his age. Never the most durable heavyweight, Arlovski’s style has changed over the years to essentially protect that weakness.

One of the faster big men in the UFC, he’s now largely a boxing-oriented fighter who will avoid wild exchanges and look to set up his big right hand with quick combinations and movement.

Sure, he can still get cracked, as we saw when Tom Aspinall took him out in 2020, but these days it takes high-level fighters to put him away. In fact, he’s 4-2 in his last six outings and has only lost to Aspinall and Jairzinho Rozenstruik in that time.

It’s probably safe to say that Carlos Felipe is not as good as either of those two fighters. The Brazilian is on a quietly strong run. He’s 3-1 in the UFC and has won his last three, but it’d be hard to argue that he’s been all that impressive.

Unlike other rising stars such as Aspinall and Chris Daukaus, Felipe appears to lack thunderous power in his punches. Due to this, his wins have come via tight decisions, particularly his last two against Justin Tafa and Jake Collier.

The fact that he’s struggled with plodders and doesn’t appear to hit that hard makes him the perfect opponent for Arlovski. He’s unlikely to knock ‘The Pitbull’ out in a rush and is more likely to become the kind of flat-footed brawler, like Philipe Lins or even Ben Rothwell, who Arlovski can still pick apart.

Could we see a finish here? Felipe has never been knocked out, but equally he hasn’t fought an opponent the caliber of Arlovski before. A decision win seems more likely for the former UFC champion, but you never know.

The Pick: Arlovski via unanimous decision