One More Comeback: Don't Count Andrei Arlovski Out Yet... I'm Definitely Not

It’s been a difficult two years for Andrei Arlovski. 2009 and 2010 were two of the worst years of the former UFC Heavyweight Champion’s career, he went winless in three major bouts and was on the receiving end of vicious knockouts in two of those three fights. Both years were a far cry from 2008, when Arlovski fought and won three times, extending his undefeated streak to five and emerging as a legitimate threat to the then-unbeaten (legitimately) and seemingly-unstoppable Fedor Emelianenko. As he readies for the upcoming strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, Arlovski has one thing clearly on his mind: once again becoming the man that Heavyweights around the world feared.

In a new interview with MMA Junkie, “The Pitbull” recently shared the following sentiments: “I just (need to) train hard and be focused, and don’t do mistakes that I did before… I have to be ready. I have to correct my workouts… I’m one point down to Russia, and Emelianenko beat me, so I have to get a victory. It’s going to be Belarus one, Russia one.”

Even though the man has been met with some very hard times recently, I’ve never shied away from the fact that I’m an Andrei Arlovski fan. Arlovski remains an incredibly humble athlete who seems very appreciative of all that MMA has given him, even during this recent tough period. Arlovski remains an incredibly popular fighter, with a very dedicated fanbase that has seen him through thick and thin. Despite his recent, deflating losses, I’m still proud to be one of those fans.

But I’m also a realist, and the realist in me knows that Arlovski is a longshot to win this Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. To start, it’s filled with guys that have already beaten him, some of them in dramatic fashion. Consider this: three people in this tournament (Brett Rogers, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Silva) have beaten Arlovski before. Two people in this tournament are known for their heavy-handed KO power (Sergei Kharitonov and Alistair Overeem), and that’s a big problem for a man that’s been KO’d six times in eight professional losses. That only leaves Josh Barnett, a high-level threat that’s a danger to anyone despite his numerous controversies, and Fabricio Werdum, who Arlovski does hold a victory over.

But anything can happen in MMA, right? Arlovski fans know that Andrei can come back against near-impossible odds. He went on to avenge his first two-fight losing streak by winning six straight fights, all by (T)KO or submission, and becoming the UFC Heavyweight Champion. He then avenged his next two-fight losing-streak by winning five straight fights, with four coming by way of (T)KO. Who’s to say he can’t break this three-fight losing-streak just as spectacularly and win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix?

Sure, that outcome may not be as likely as some of heavily-picked favorites (Fedor and Overeem, chiefly) winnings it all, but don’t tell me I can’t hope for a comeback. Arlovski is still a marketable star, time and time again he’s gotten one of the largest reactions of the night whenever he fights. He’s still a feared striker, eleven of his fifteen career wins have come by some form of (T)KO. He’s fallen on hard times, sure, but a three-fight losing-streak isn’t a death sentence for a former UFC Heavyweight Champion that’s been facing top-of-the-world competition for the last several years running.

I’m not saying Arlovski will win it all, I’m just saying that it’s always darkest before the dawn. I look forward to seeing Arlovski compete, and a part of me does indeed hope that he’ll eventually emerge the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner. But what about you, fans and friends? What do you think Arlovski’s chances are in the tournament?