UFC 195 fight card primer: Andrei Arlovski vs Stipe Miocic

In the co-main event of UFC 195, former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski (25-10 MMA, 14-4 UFC) faces collegiate wrestler Stipe Miocic (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in a bout that will likely decide who gets to face the winner of UFC 196's main event for the heavyweight title.

Following a rapid ascent up the UFC rankings since his return to the Octagon, former champion Arlovski has garnered the attention of the masses. It will be interesting to see how the reinvigorated Belarusian does against the younger and more athletic Miocic in this heavyweight clash. The UFC 195 main card airs live on pay-per-view on Saturday, January 2nd at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT from Las Vegas' MGM Grand.

How do these two stack up?

Arlovski: 36 years old | 6'4" | 78" reach
Miocic: 33 years old | 6'4" | 80" reach

What have these two done recently?

Arlovski: W - Frank Mir (UD) | W - Travis Browne(TKO) | W - Antonio Silva (KO)
Miocic: W - Mark Hunt (TKO) | L - Junior dos Santos (UD) | W - Fabio Maldonado (TKO)

How did these two get here?

The path back to UFC contention for Andrei Arlovski seemed unimaginable just a few years ago. After going 0-4 from 2009 to February 2011, it seemed like Arlovski's career was coming to an end, but the last few years have brought about a resurgent Pitbull. Following a solid stint in WSOF, Arlovski was given the call back to the UFC that he had so desperately wanted and since then the Belarusian has flourished, winning his first four fights back in the UFC, including a memorable knockout of Travis Browne.

The talent of Stipe Miocic has been obvious to onlookers since his UFC debut in 2011. From his first dominant performance in the Octagon, a decision over Joey Beltran, the two-sport collegiate star has had a lot of hype behind him and for the most part he has delivered. But thus far in his career, when Miocic falters it is when the stakes are high. Miocic's lone pair of career losses have came at high-pressure time; the first was a loss to Stefan Struve in his first time headlining a card, and the second was a loss to former champion Junior dos Santos. Since Miocic's loss to JDS, the Ohio native has bounced back with a career-best performance against the ever-dangerous Mark Hunt.

Why should you care?

This fight is guaranteed violence, and to make things even more interesting, there is likely a title shot on the line.