Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Carlos
Felipe has made life easier for Ultimate Fighting Championship matchmakers,
getting his requested pairing in October. After Felipe (11-1) defeated Jake
Collier in June by split verdict, the Brazilian called out
Andrei
Arlovski (31-20, 2 NC) in the post-fight press conference. The
promotion has granted his request, as Felipe and Arlovski will
throw down at an upcoming UFC
Fight Night card on Oct. 16 inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Felipe announced the news of this pairing on an interview with
Canal
Encarada on Wednesday, and he subsequently confirmed the
heavyweight tilt on his Instagram.
“I have a request for the matchmakers,” Felipe asked at the UFC 263
post-fight press conference. “Put me with Andrei
Arlovski. This is the fight to make. I have all the respect for
Andrei
Arlovski, but I think his time has already passed. This is my
time. It’s time for the new generation. All my respect to him, but
I think this fight makes sense.”
Felipe continued, “September, October…It could be next month [July]
too, but September or October would ok. I saw that he had a hand
surgery so September or October would be perfect for both of us.
Arlovski, all my respect to you, but let’s make this fight happen,
let’s make a brawl.”
Felipe finds himself on a three-fight decision win streak, with
split verdicts this year over Justin Tafa
and Jake
Collier to lead into this Arlovski battle. Coming into the UFC,
the Brazilian celebrated a knockout rate of 75 percent, but since
his debut, all four bouts have gone the distance. His debut did not
go well for him, as he dropped a majority decision to Sergey
Spivak in July 2020.
Arlovski has won three of four dating back to 2020, with a lone
loss to Tom
Aspinall interspersed between decision victories over Chase
Sherman, Tanner
Boser and Philipe
Lins. Of note, the 42-year-old ex-champ notched his 20th win as
a UFC heavyweight,
extending his own heavyweight record while becoming one of seven
men to prevail 20 times inside the Octagon.
The Oct. 16 UFC Fight Night event has a likely destination of the
UFC Apex in Las Vegas, but no marquee matches have been billed as
of yet. In addition to the Arlovski-Felipe clash, Ludovit
Klein meets Nate
Landwehr at featherweight. In the flyweight division, Maryna
Moroz will take on Luana
Carolina as well.
