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ROUNDTABLE: Will Andrei Arlovski fight for the UFC Heavyweight Title again before his career is over?
Sep 17, 2014 - 3:35:22 PM ROUNDTABLE: Will Andrei Arlovski fight for the UFC Heavyweight Title again before his career is over?

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How likely do you think it is that Andrei Arlovski makes it to another UFC Title fight before his career is done? What do you think he'd need to do in order to get there?


RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST

So. Do you wanna know why MMA popularity went from fastest growing sport in the world every year from 2005-2012 to plateauing in 2013 to cratering in 2014? Because questions about Andrei Arlovski Title Contender are being posed to legitimate panels (and Brad) in 2014. In 2013, when Arlovski fought Anthony Johnson, Dana White called the fight "illegitimate." Now both Johnson and Arlovski are top 10 UFC fighters, and close to title contention in their respective weight classes.

Sorry, what was the question again? Oh yeah. Sorry. If Andrei Arlovski fights for a UFC title, a Bellator title, a WSOF title, a Titan title, hell even a RFA title, it's time to cash out on the heavyweight division in full and petition for a WEC rebirth.


FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

In a paperthin division, it's entirely possible that he does get another title shot before he's done. What he has to do is win another fight against a top five opponent and then he gets a chance to fight for a title shot. I think it takes him two more wins to get that title shot, but I guess you never know how the UFC will book things. I would have Arlovski fight Stipe Miocic or the Mark Hunt-Roy Nelson winner, then the winner can fight Travis Browne after Browne beats Brendan Schaub for a title shot.


TOM STRONG, MMATORCH UK CONTRIBUTOR

It will take some sort of miracle for Arlovski to get in position to earn another title fight, or some very favourable match ups! Though it's not going to happen.

Let's be honest here, he was awful in his return to the UFC, and secondly, very lucky against Brendan Schaub to earn a split decision win. It's a fight I wish to erase from my memory forever.

His win over Bigfoot was slightly better, though nothing to make me sit up and take note. To earn a title shot, he will need two or possibly three more wins, and quite frankly that isn't happening.

Arlovski is just another average fighter in a very average division.


DAN MOORE, MMATORCH UK COLUMNIST

After the impressive win last weekend, Andrei Arlovski now has as good a chance as anyone in the heavyweight division to get into title contention. Fabricio Werdum and Junior dos Santos are clearly the two best contenders in the division, but one has already lost twice to Cain Velasquez, and the other will probably experience the same fate in November. After those two, there's a whole host of contenders who need to make the most of this opportunity now. Sadly not one of them stands out.

Stipe Miocic is the guy most likely to break away from the pack with one more win, but if he fights dos Santos next, that becomes a questionable theory. After Miocic, there's a list including Arlovski, Ben Rothwell, Travis Browne, Mark Hunt, and Roy Nelson. One of the latter two will disappear from the equation after this weekend. Browne is coming off a loss and probably needs another big win after he beats Brendan Schaub at UFC 181. Same rule applies to Rothwell after his win over Alistair Overeem.

For me, that leaves Arlovski free to fight the winner of the Nelson vs. Hunt main event this weekend. Whomever wins that gets a title shot sometime in 2015. Other factors will determine if that's the next championship fight (Miocic etc), but I can definitely see it happening at some point next year. It's all irrelevant though, because Cain Velasquez will easily beat all of them. If Werdum is unsuccessful in his attempt, the guys I've mentioned have zero chance of doing better.


CASH NORMAN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR

If Andrei Arlovski receives favorable matchups within the heavyweight division, he could recieve another title fight before the conclusion of his career. The heavyweight division is very thin, and if the top five guys knock each other down the rankings and someone gets hurt, he could be back in the title picture. Obviously, I have hard time picturing present day Arlovski having the ability to take out any guys near the top five such as Fabricio Werdum, Junior dos Santos, Travis Browne, Stipe Miocic, or Josh Barnett. If Arlovski was able to pull off another highlight reel win outside of the top five, then he may be able to get into the title picture based of momentum rather than merit.