Jake Collier Praises Andrei Arlovski’s Evolution Ahead of UFC on ESPN 35 Clash

Onetime Resurrection Fighting Alliance 185-pound champion Jake Collier will soon face the toughest test of his career. In the co-headliner of the upcoming UFC on ESPN 35, Collier (13-6, 5-5 UFC) will lock horns with former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder Andrei Arlovski. “The Prototype” is coming off a first-round submission victory over Chase Sherman at UFC on ESPN 32 in January, pocketing a performance bonus in the process. Originally, Collier was supposed to face Justin Tafa, but the matchup fell off the card following an injury to Tafa, and Arlovski agreed to replace him on short notice. Collier had to change his strategy due to the new opponent, whom he has studied very carefully ahead of their clash.

“I really see that he’s gotten really smart as he’s gotten older,” Collier said. “His last three or four fights, he’s really been smart and not brawling and staying on his bike, moving really well. I see the same thing, him being smart, long, technical and moving a lot. We’re going to try to cut him off and get in his grill a little bit. I feel like that’s really how he’s changed. He’s really evolved with it. That guy has really changed his game up as he’s gotten older. He’s still growing, I think. I think he’s still getting better at what, 42, 43 years old? I think he’s going to move a lot and stay on his bike and try to stay long and keep me at bay.”

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Celebrating Easter
(01:25) Bringing big guys to prepare for Arlovski
(02:42) The changes in his training camp
(03:16) His corner
(03:26) Commenting on Arlovski’s evolution
(04:38) Tafa’s pullout
(05:46) Submitting Sherman in January
(06:40) Commenting on the finish
(07:10) His new UFC contract
(08:45) Picking Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera
(09:05) His prediction for his fight
(09:18) His options for the walkout song
(09:46) Outro

Tudor Leonte started writing about mixed martial arts in 2013 for Italian media outlets. His journey with Sherdog began in 2018 and he now covers One Championship and countless European shows. You can follow him on Twitter @MrTudorLeonte.