Why can AA still compete in the UFC, while Sylvia can't do lower level?

[Frank Edgar]

Athletes' careers age differently, same as performers in pretty much any discipline

There's a million factors that could affect longevity: physical health, mental health, lack of motivation, development or regression of technical abilities

Could be affected by genetics, by injuries, by lifestyle choices such as drug use, by personal problems. They are human beings that continue living their lives once their fights are over, they can go through all sorts of shit that will affect how they perform

You can't pinpoint one single reason, that's just how aging works, not everyone experiences it equally

 

[Deleted member 576123]

btw. Arlovski also beat Sylvia in their last bout

 

[Ovie]

and Arlovski has never roided.

Haha OK Boomer.

 

[daniel san]

It's purely genetics. I mean, look at Sylvia's body while he was roiding - it did look better than ever, but it still didn't look anything like Arlovski's, and Arlovski has never roided.

Do you honestly think Arlovski wasn’t on roids back in the days? It’s very clear that he was just like everyone else.

 

[WingsLax9042]

 

[Gambit MMA]

sylvia didnt take care of himself at all

he ballooned up to SHW and couldnt even make 265 before calling it a career.

 

[ejlarson249]

Because they're not the same person.

How is this even a question?

Imagine. Not only being dumb enough to think this. But then thinking it needed to be shared. The quality threads are always on point here.

 

[Deleted member 510653]

Arlovski vs Sylvia was one of mma's biggest rivalries

 

[linvillegorge]

Sylvia got fat as fuck while Arlovski has stayed in great shape. Sylvia is also three years older and was slow to begin with. Arlovski was fast as fuck so even slowing down with age he's still able to keep up.

 

[capnlarge]

it's a miracle that Sylvia did as well as he did in his prime

 

[Chet Ubetcha]

Arlovski stayed in shape. Sylvia didn't. Some people peak and others plateau. Sylvia proved to be the better fighter because they were both in their primes and Sylvia won twice. He beat an aggressive Arlovski AND a conservative one.

This myth that Arlovski evolved and Sylvia didn't is just people refusing to accept the dismal state of the HW division. Arlovski hasn't shown anything new since then. In fact, he's lost that bounce in his step, he's stiff, he's plodding, he doesn't grapple anymore, he's devolved. The only thing keeping him in the game is that he's kept himself in shape and the division sucks more now than ever.

If today's prospects were any good(even a fraction of the level of Fedor, Kharitinov, Cro Cop, JDS, Sylvia, etc), they'd KTFO this Arlovski, no problem.

Take a look at these two GIFs:

Arlovski leads in with the same combination but:

In the first one, he has perfect form. Light on his feet. Jab and right hand quick and straight down the pipe. His head moves slightly off center allowing him to dodge any potential counter yet keep his vision on his opponent. His hips pivot perfectly. He steps perfectly in range. His stance is still balanced.

In the second one, he's plodding and flat-footed. His hips can no longer twist like they used to. This causes his back foot to come off the ground and fly forward as he punches, also causing his stance to square up and him to lose balance and power. He is so off balance that he no longer has vision of his opponent so he compensates with a backhand. His jab is just flicked up from his hips. His right hand is wild and wide. It's just sloppy.

Both of these GIFs are slowed down. If you watched them at normal speed it is also glaringly obvious how much faster Arlovski was too.

Arlovski has only gotten worse over the years since then and is somehow still competitive. It is a shame for the division.

That is a great analysis of technique. The only thing we can't take away from the Browne fight, though, is that both men were rocked more than once before this point, and it was really a matter of whose brain was going to just give in and shut off first.

 

[Reaper_mma_MKII]

I could be wrong but I think I recall him being diagnosed with a medical condition that ended all possibility of him fighting again along with some injuries but don't quote me on it

 

[chinarice]

The fact the ghost of the ghost of Andrei Arlovski is still beating up and comer HWs shows how truly terrible the HW division is.

Arlovski should have been beaten from the UFC like 3-4 years ago.

 

[fzoid4454]

Because they're not the same person.

How is this even a question?

What's remarkable is that you were needed to explain that.

 

[CerebralKnievel]

Sylvia knocked out Arlovski once, lol. The other victory was a boring decision.

The last time ARlovski and Sylvia fought, Arlovksi knocked him into another realm, but the fight was declared a no contest after Andrei kicked him on the ground. Andrei got the last laugh there.

Sylvia's too damn fat.

The weird thing was that you were permitted to land kicks to a grounded opponent, but had to first receive permission from the referee. WTF?

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Tim didn't take care of himself.. No discipline whatsoever..

 

[scorpiorising]

Go to Tim Sylvia's fb or Instagram. He eats shit and no veggies. Thats why.

 

[wufabufa]

it's a miracle that Sylvia did as well as he did in his prime

I can't imagine his career trajectory if he was fighting in Pride between 2002-2006 during his prime. His brain would be complete mush right now. The UFC's HW division being so incredibly weak at that time really did him a lot of favors.