Why Emelianenko vs. Arlovski Needs to Happen

Affliction needs this fight, bu there’s more to it then that. We need this fight to happen, as fans who live in a fight world seriously deprived of substantial heavyweight match-ups.

Occasionally we are put in a position where we can see top heavyweights clash, as we did with Fedor and Sylvia, but because Barnett doesn’t, at this point in his career, want a fight with the world’s #1 heavyweight, we need Fedor to fight another top ten heavyweight, and Arlovski is the only top ten heavyweight in circulation right now who’s ranking cannot be disputed, even with a loss to Emelianenko.

With two upcoming heavyweight title fights in the UFC getting a lot of publicity, it’s important for Affliction to demonstrate that they are capable of putting on a matchup between two top tier heavyweights. They need to put on a matchup that means more to the sport than either of the major heavyweight matchups we are seeing in the UFC, and Emelianenko vs. Arlovski seems to be the only one that is remotely probable.

This is what I mean: Nogueira vs. Mir is a fight between a top five fighter and a fighter who borders on top ten status. Couture vs. Lesnar is a well publicized bout between an arguable top ten fighter and a guy who might be a ton ten fighter in two or three years. If Fedor fights a low top ten fighter then Affliction will only be performing up to the level of the UFC, and everyone knows that if you want to unseat the champ, you really have to beat him, it can’t be a trivial and arguable contest.

The reason why it needs to be Fedor vs. Arlovski is not simply based on their rankings, though that has a lot to do with it. These are two of the most versatile and explosive fighters in the world. Standing up, it’s hard to argue that anyone is more dangerous than Fedor and Arlovski, especially with the mediocre quality of todays heavyweight division. On the ground, these fighters are warriors. Fedor’s game is well documented, and Andrei’s groundskills, while relatively unknown in MMA, may match up well with Fedor, given his Sambo background.

While the edge in this fight goes to Fedor, without dispute, no one can argue, if Fedor destroys Arlovski, that he is the top heavyweight in the world, and that he has made it a point to take on the world’s top heavyweights. It may not force the mainstream media (smitten with Randy Couture) to acknowledge that Fedor is the best fighter in the world, but it will make Couture’s chances in a fight with Emelianenko even more doubtful, and take that much more life out of the UFC heavyweight division, which slowly seems to be rehabilitating itself.

Oh, and the other reason why this fight needs to happen: because I want to see it.