Andrei Arlovski, left, and Sergei Kharitinov fight in the quarterfinals...

Andrei Arlovski, left, and Sergei Kharitinov fight in the quarterfinals of the Strikeforce Grand Prix heavyweight tournament. Kharitonov won by first-round knockout. (Feb. 12, 2011) Credit: Newsday / Mario Gonzalez

Andrei Arlovski may look like Zar's right-hand man in "Superman II," but the former UFC heavyweight champion no longer has the super powers needed to compete at the highest level of mixed martial arts.

In the first quarterfinal of the Strikeforce World Grand Prix on Saturday night at the Izod Center, Arlovski was knocked out in the first round by Sergei Kharitonov.

Kharitonov will fight the Josh Barnett-Brett Rogers winner in the semifinals of the Grand Prix later this year.

The two fighters exchanged action early in the round and Arlovski moved around well. The momentum switched when Arlovski, his back near the cage, threw a power punch that missed. Kharitonov countered with a power shot of his own.

The two heavyweights exchanged punches, with Kharitonov getting the better of it. He dropped Arlovski, a former UFC heavyweight champion, with a big left. The Russian moved in on the fallen Belarus fighter and finished with him a series of head shots to get the knockout with 2:11 left in the first round.

 

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