5 Lessons Learned From UFC Fight Night 51

by Jay Anderson

1. The Pitbull Is Back

The Andrei Arlovski that showed up at UFC Fight Night 51 last night - that's the Arlovski fans wanted to see upon his return to the UFC. A guy with killer striking, not a guy who plays it safe in fights the way he did against Brendan Schaub.

Arlovski may actually crack the top ten in the UFC with this fight. He should, he deserves it, as he's now 2-0 in the UFC since returning and 8-1 (1NC) in his last ten fights. Neither Bigfoot Silva nor Alistair Overeem really belong in the top ten at this point, and are really just there because they have name value. Well, Arlovski has name value as well, as a former UFC champion (something neither Bigfoot nor The Reem can claim), and he's on a much better win.

A second bout with Ben Rothwell or a fight with the winner of next week's Hunt vs. Nelson would be the best bet for Arlovski next, or maybe Matt Mitrione if the UFC wants to take things slow (see our 5 Fights for Andrei Arlovski to Take Next for more suggestions).

 
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Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.