Andrei Arlovski knocks out Travis Browne in Fight of the Year candidate 
LAS VEGAS – For being former roommates, Andrei Arlovski and Travis Browne fought like bitter enemies on Saturday night at UFC 187. The fight didn’t even make it out of the first round as former heavyweight champion Arlovski scored a first-round TKO over Browne and took one step closer to a career resurgence that just a few years prior seemed unthinkable.
Arlovski has now rattled off three consecutive victories since his return to the UFC, toppling foes Brendan Schaub, Antonio “Bigfoot” Sivla, and now his former teammate at Jackson-Winklejohn in Browne.
In what many will remember as one of the most action-packed rounds in heavyweight history, both fighters exchanged powerful flurries from the pocket. Arlovski kicked off the action, pressuring Browne against the cage and landing accurate power combos as Browne found himself on wobbly legs.
Midway through the opening round Browne mustered a thudding shot of his own that floored Arlovski, but the 36 year old found his composure and rose from his feet.
It didn’t take long for Arlovski to shake off any cobwebs and get right back in the pocket with Browne. He continued to use the flurry punching that worked so well earlier in the round and eventually found space for an accurate straight right.
Arlovski recognized the potency of his straight right and fired off a succession of devastating follow-ups. Browne once again found himself in trouble as he attempted a retreat. But Arlovski showed no mercy and finished Browne off with repeated blows, as the referee stepped in at 4:41 of Round 1.
“It’s not going to affect our friendship,” Arlovski said post-fight, “I love him like a brother.”
Making the Fight of The Year candidate that much more impressive was the post-fight revelation that Arlovski was dealing with a pretty serious injury heading into the fight. That, coupled with the mid-round blows by Browne, had Arlovski on the verge of quitting.
“Man, I was tired. I almost quit,” admitted Arlovski. “There were so many punches being thrown and I was so tired. I am injured, I hurt my leg during my last workout on Thursday. We finished up training and I told my coach I wanted to go one more round just to test my reactions. We were moving around and he kicked me on the inside of my shin and I got a little cocky and started dancing around and I felt something in my leg. I thought my coach kicked me again so I asked him, but he said no. I really don’t know how it happened, but the UFC doctors were there right away and they took care of me. I’m really grateful for the care they gave me.”
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