Dana White explains why he put Andrei Arlovski in headliner after lackluster return

News of Andrei Arlovski‘s quick turnaround following a forgettable return to the octagon prompted some head-scratching among MMA observers.

Why, they questioned, would the ex-champ get to headline UFC Fight Night 51 after such a mediocre showing against Brendan Schaub at this past month’s UFC 174?

Even putting aside the ho-hum fight, Arlovski’s opponent at the Sept. 13 event is Antonio Silva (18-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC), whom he met under the now-defunct Strikeforce banner in 2010. The first bout was a solid fight, to be sure, but certainly not one for the ages.

So why do it?

“I was disappointed in both of their performances,” White said of Arlovski (22-10 MMA, 11-4 UFC) and Schaub. “It doesn’t mean the guys are never going to fight again. I just let them know how I felt. The fight sucked. I’ve got Schaub hitting me up telling me that he got robbed. I’m like, ‘No, we got robbed.’”

That statement was repeated often after a split decision in favor of Arlovski, who hesitated to engage with the similarly listless Schaub. The fight sapped energy from a seesawing card.

Afterward, Arlovski pleaded with fans not to boo his octagon return, which came five years after a tour of major and minor MMA promotions. Once thought to be spent by a stretch of four straight losses, he rebuilt his record and went 6-1 in his time outside the UFC. White resigned the fighter earlier this year citing a positive relationship and respect for his accomplishments.

In 2005, Arlovski was the face of the UFC heavyweight division and held its heavyweight title after a submission of Tim Sylvia, who later avenged his loss in a pair of wins.

Now 35 years old, “The Pitbull” has a limited amount of time to attempt another title run, and a win over onetime title challenger Antonio Silva, who returns from a nine month suspension due to a failed drug test, would be a good start.

“Guys have bad nights,” White said. “It’s not like I hate Brendan Schaub or Andrei Arlovski because of it. I just hated that fight. You guys know how it is; I’ll always let guys know how I feel about a fight.

“For anybody to be complaining about being robbed in that fight…believe me, I’ve seen some robberies, and that wasn’t a robbery. That could go either way, and at the end of the day, nobody would give a s–t, because the fight was terrible.”

UFC Fight Night 51 takes place at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil. The event’s broadcast plans, as well as additional fights, have not yet been announced.

For more on UFC Fight Night in Brasilia, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Andrei Arlovski)