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Andrei Arlovski knows exactly how dangerous Francis Ngannou can be. However, he believes the UFC heavyweight champion has met his match with Ciryl Gane.
Arlovski fought Ngannou at UFC on Fox 23 in 2017. He was on the receiving end of a savage first-round knockout. 'The Pitbull' is a legend of the sport, having once ruled the division himself between 2005-06. The 42-year-old will be looking for his 23rd professional win when he takes on Carlos Felipe at UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont this weekend.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda MMA, Andrei Arlovski cited Gane and Tanner Boser as the two "next generation" fighters who have impressed him the most. Giving his thoughts on the Frenchman's upcoming clash with 'The Predator' at UFC 270, Arlovski said:
"I would love to see Ciryl win, It's definitely a great fight. Ngannou is going to get his ass whooped, I think. I'm going to put money on Ciryl."
It's interesting to see that Andrei Arlovski has given his seal of approval to Gane. The 31-year-old has looked fantastic since arriving in the UFC. He boasts a perfect 10-0 record overall, which includes seven straight wins inside the UFC octagon.
Ngannou's UFC tenure has also been very special. All 11 of the Cameroonian's victories in the promotion have come via stoppage. It remains to be seen if Gane can fulfill Arlovski's prediction, but the fight certainly has all the makings of a classic.
Andrei Arlovski still has the hunger
Like Gane and Ngannou, Andrei Arlovski's next opponent Carlos Felipe is perceived as being from the "new generation" of heavyweights. Arlovski has been paired with all manner of foes throughout two separate spells with the UFC.
Arlovski's first octagon debut may have come all the way back at the turn of the millennium, but the Belarusian still has plenty of fire left in his belly.
"Of course I'm still hungry for the sport and most importantly for the victories. Actually, I'm a really lucky person because I'm doing what I love to do. I'm going to face one of the toughest young fighters, I'm very excited about this. So, like Nike said, just do it. I never choose any opponents. UFC gave me him after he called me out. Somebody showed me a screenshot with his middle finger. I'm very happy. He's young, angry, and hungry and has good striking skills. Very good. He's a brawler. If I stick with my game plan, everything is going to be perfect," Arlovski told Sportskeeda MMA.
Andrei Arlovski has won four of his last six bouts, including a win over Chase Sherman in his last outing. Felipe (11-1), meanwhile, has won his last three but is yet to find a finish in the octagon. If Arlovski can pull out the 'W' here, then he will be one step closer to getting back into the top 15.
