Quote of the Day: Andrei Arlovski "MMA Is Not Boxing"

by Kid Nate on Jun 16, 2009 8:59 AM EDT in MMA News

"I focused too much on boxing and not enough on the wrestling and jiu-jitsu. It wasn’t right. It’s another thing I have to think about. MMA is not boxing. I have to change something."

"I don’t understand this question about my chin. When you open your face for four or five punches it doesn’t matter your chin, you will get KOed." Crediting his adversary, he continued, "Rogers was great, he did what he did. I took the fight and I got my ass kicked, it’s that simple. It’s embarrassing, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I have to move on. I’m definitely going to come back."

Andrei Arlovski talking to the camera on his official web site.

HT MMA Unlimited

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Remember people, “this is not boxing, THIS MMA!”.
This strikeforce dude was right to insist.

by spectaa on Jun 16, 2009 8:58 AM EDT reply actions

This was exactly what I wanted to hear from Arlovski, hope he comes back better than ever.. and shows some sambo instead of just going in and boxing.

by grein on Jun 16, 2009 9:07 AM EDT reply actions

Exactly

No disrespect to Freddie Roach but AA needs to push him aside and become well rounded again. You can tell in his last fight against Rogers that AA started the fight like if it was a boxing match while Rogers went straight up MMA on his ass.

IMO Arlovski should refocus and go back to the UFC where he belongs.

Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, growing up as a child Kimbo Slice was never given any bread with his meals. This is why he insists people... give him his bread."

by xFenixKnightx on Jun 16, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions

I focused too much on boxing and not enough on the wrestling and jiu-jitsu.

But wasn’t poor striking defense the problem? The fight never even hit the ground (well, he did…)

I hope AA does get on track, though – he was one of the first fighters I took a liking to – I’m glad he didn’t use any “I got caught” BS either.

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by Scott C. Broussard on Jun 16, 2009 9:12 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs

That was my first thought too

But I suppose if he had better wrestling and jiu-jitsu, he could have utilized a different game plan.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on Jun 16, 2009 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, hard to see how you can get KTFO in 22 seconds …

… then come to the conclusion that you’re spending too much time on boxing and not enough on teh jits.

I mean, did Rogers even throw a knee or kick? I’m really asking, because I don’t remember him doing it.

If anything, Arlovski needs to spend more time with Roach.

Although detractors decry (MMA) as a brutal, bloody form of human cockfighting, aficionados know it is a brutal, bloody, totally fucking awesome form of human cockfighting. -The Onion

by The Kittitas Kid on Jun 16, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe he was focusing more on boxing, hence using boxing gloves. Boxing defense with Boxing gloves =/=striking defense with MMA gloves. I’m going to assume that’s what he meant.

by CliChe Guevara on Jun 16, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I think what everyone is missing is that the best way for Arlovski to guarantee a win over Rogers was to take him down. But he only thought of standing and trading, and when Rogers rushed him hard, he didn’t change his gameplan.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jun 16, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Andre has X amount of time before his skills begin to deteriorate. He needs to focus 100% on MMA in order to make the most of that limited time. He’s spreading himself too thin trying to work on both MMA and boxing.

by Patrick79x on Jun 16, 2009 9:30 AM EDT reply actions

there is no "question"

… about his chin. it’s glass. it shatters on impact.

but that would be acceptable, really, if he would incorporate some decent head movement and some defensive skills.

unless he does that, AA will continue to be a can. a large, strong, potentially dangerous can, but a can nonetheless.

by bobthewriter on Jun 16, 2009 9:35 AM EDT reply actions

Its less his chin

and more that his brain has been shook loose from the stem. Now a kiss on the cheek sends this guy into blackout mode.

by ryanwk628 on Jun 16, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

its his lack of lateral movement

as much as his chin. Backing away in a straight line = dumb.

"the spirit of your average dumbass with more overblown rhetoric" OR "the self-appointed savior of MMA"

by Kid Nate on Jun 16, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

i agree … i think a lot of people discount head movement, too … it’s essential, and Arlovski has none. it’s another reason he’s not going to be a successful boxer.

by bobthewriter on Jun 16, 2009 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s because you never notice the best head movement – it’s just that the guy doesn’t get hit. It’s subtle and hard to pinpoint at its highest level – it just looks like the other guy is whiffing.

by Derek Suboticki on Jun 16, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Not just the backing away in a straight line, but his baffling lack of defense. If he backed away in a straight line with his hands covering his face, that would be one thing. But as soon as Rogers touched him, Andrei backed straight away with his hands forward, like he was trying to feel for the light switch in a dark room.

The guy just has terrible instincts when he gets hit. I’m not sure thats something he can improve on.

by Foxskinrug on Jun 16, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m beginning to think that heavyweight bouts are becoming a bit too much of a lottery considering the power they wield with such tiny gloves. It just seems like any decent shot at heavyweight does way more damage relative to semi decent shots in lower weight classes.

Does anyone else feel this way? If so, is there a solution?

by Sam Cupitt on Jun 16, 2009 9:36 AM EDT reply actions

That's why wrestlers

and the rounded guys are at the top of the HW food chain.

Fedor is the best because he can win without taking shots. He’s the least hit fighter in the upper echelons of MMA. Even less than Machida.

by rainmaker6 on Jun 16, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Also his unreal ability to take a shot (Randleplex, Cro Cop) and shrug it off as if it were nothing. That’s pretty much gotta be a genetic gift (enhanced in appearance by his generally stoic and passionless demeanor when he fights), but it shouldn’t be discounted entirely.

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jun 16, 2009 3:00 PM EDT up reply actions

It has more to do with the general mediocrity of the division. Power matters a lot more when fighters don’t have a whole lot else. As the division starts to catch up with the lighter weights, it should settle down.

by Foxskinrug on Jun 16, 2009 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Huh?

Against Rogers he went straight back with his hands down. Shouldn’t he be working on his boxing more?

by Tonley on Jun 16, 2009 9:43 AM EDT reply actions

Seriously

Footwork and Head movement is what i’d say he needs work on!

Even then, he still has a suspect chin, so if he bobs instead of weaves, like Couture did against Brock, it’s good night Pitbull.

all you gotta do is...

by imapimp08 on Jun 16, 2009 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions

"and I am not good at either."

A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who

by thetakeover on Jun 16, 2009 10:32 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I was surprised that AA stood there and took it. Certainly some ‘floatin like a butterfly’ would have been nice. Head movement and footwork…Rogers can’t hit what he can’t touch.
If AA had been focusing on MMA then his game plan might have been to take Rogers’ big ass down instead of standing toe to toe. It was a bad game plan. I don’t think anything is wrong with AA’s chin. He isn’t the first or last guy to get knocked out by Fedor or Rogers, right? Those guys could knock any man on earth out, even (probably) Andre the Giant (when he was alive, of course).

I think these posts are not giving Rogers his due though. The guy simply came in and kicked AA’s ass. BoomBoomBoomBoom….done. Good job Rogers.

by mightyhokie on Jun 16, 2009 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

Head movement, bobbing and weaving, sidestep, carry a shiv

I can’t help but think that Arlovski also kept up with his archnemesis-of-sorts, Pee Pee Taster. After seeing Timbah get a tertiary asshole surgery from Ray Mercer, the Pitbull must’ve had some kind of revelation.

by troy_doney on Jun 16, 2009 12:13 PM EDT reply actions

I’m confused, it’s pretty obvious that he has a weak chin. His last 2 fights have been pretty much 1 punch KOs.

As for people saying it’s obvious he needs to work on his boxing, I disagree. It’s obvious that he needs to move away from boxing. His chin is unreliable, he can’t stand up and box with anyone, there’s a very good chance of him going out.

He needs to work on other aspects of the MMA game, and figure out a way to get them to work,because boxing isn’t working.

by Phildo on Jun 16, 2009 12:13 PM EDT reply actions