Andrei Arlovski notched up his second win in a row tonight at UFC 222 with a unanimous decision victory over Stefan Struve.
Round One:
Leg kick for Arlovski. Now one in return from Struve. Head kick attempt from Struve thats blocked. Low kick for Arlovski and Struve goes for a counter punch.
Another leg kick for Arlovski. He ducks his head and throws an overhand as Struve comes forward, but almost eats a punch in return.
Leg kick for Struve and now it’s his turn to almost eat a punch as he does so. Arlovski connects with a solid overhand, but Struve wears it well.
Arlovski in close and manages to land a takedown. Struve looking to work a submission and so Arlovski opts to move away and stand back up.
Leg kick for Struve. He lands a jab too. He backs Arlovski up and starts to launch a series of punches, but Arlovski is covering up well.
Struve looks for a takedown, but Arlovski reverses it in mid-air and lands on top. Arlovski soon backs out again and stands over his opponent until the ref seperates them.
In close again Arlovski lands a few punches. Leg kick for ‘The Pitbull’. Struve tries for a jumping knee, but it doesn’t really pay off and Arlovski clinches up with him.
Arlovski moves him over to the cage. Struve has red welts on his leg where Arlovski has been tenderizing him with kicks. Arlovski able to land another takedown as the round comes to an end.
Round Two:
Struve misses with a kick and punch behind it. One-two lands for Arlovski to the chin. Struve goes for a head kick that’s blocked.
Two quick right hands from Arlovski. Now a leg kick. Into the clinch they go and Arlovski muscles Struve into the cage. Arlovski lands a takedown. He has to be careful of Struve’s dangerous submissions though. Struve with a leg lock attempt here.
Struve unable to find a finish from there, but uses the submission to get on top with three minutes of the round remaining and Arlovski turtled on his knees.
Struve starting to land punches and Arlovski manages to stand up quickly. Struve still with the body lock and tries to lift Arlovski up and throw him to the mat, but Arlovski keeps his balance well.
Struve still with the body lock, but Arlovski manages to break out of that and presses Struve to the cage again. They jockey for position against the cage going back and forth and then Arlovski partially gets his opponent down with a knee tap.
Back up with Arlovski still clinching, but the ref opts to separate them. Short flurry of punches from Arlovski, but he takes an eye poke in the process and he needs a moment to recover from the illegal blow.
Body kick from Struve. Now one to the leg. Arlovski misses with an overhand.
Round Three:
Leg kick for Arlovski, but Struve lands a harder one in return. Arlovski with a short flurry. Kick from Struve to the leg and Arlovski counters with a punch over the top.
Right hand lands for Struve. Oblique kick from Arlovksi and Struve returns the favor. Struve attempts a body kick. Body punches from Arlovski.
Low leg kick for Arlovski. Kick upstairs from Struve is blocked. Arlovski clinches against the cage. He tries for a takedown, but Struve remains upright and then it seems he got eyepoked in the process, forcing another stoppage.
Struve is complaining to the ref that his vision is affected, so the doctor is called in. Struve tells the doc he’s ok to continue though and so the fight is allowed to go on.
Head kick attempt from Struve is blocked. Solid kick from Struve again. Arlovski presses forward with punches to the body and then tries to go upstairs.
Big overhand from Arlovski. Leg kick for Struve lands solidly. Arlovski clinches in the center of the Octagon and tries for the trip takedown, but doesn’t land it.
Arlovski sticks to his task and manages to bring the ‘Skyscraper’ down in the final minute. Arlovski in side control, but Struve manages to find a way back to his feet.
Struve starting to swing for the fences now with big punches, but Arlovski keeps his head out of danger and clinches again to tick down the final seconds of the round.
Decision:
Solid performance from Arlovski here then and he emerges with a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x2, 30-27).
