Brendan Schaub Excited to Welcome Andrei Arlovski Back to the Octagon at UFC 174

Brendan Schaub has been asking for a big fight, and it looks like he finally got one.

The surging heavyweight will welcome former champion Andrei Arlovski back to the Octagon when the two men square off at UFC 174 on June 24 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The bout was announced this week by UFC President Dana White via Twitter and will mark the first time in six years "The Pitbull" will compete under the UFC banner.

The former NFL player turned mixed martial artist has been on a roll as of late and has been actively pursuing an opponent with a big name for his next challenge. Yet, despite his efforts to land a bout with knockout artist Mark Hunt, a fight with the "Super Samoan" never materialized, and Schaub was left to play the waiting game. Now, with the fight against Arlovski made official, "The Hybrid" will be looking to further the momentum he built with impressive performances in his two most recent showings.

The Los Angeles transplant has defeated Lavar Johnson and Matt Mitrione respectively and shown the continued progress of his grappling skills in the process. He will be looking to continue his climb when he steps in against Arlovski—a fighter who has proven to be as versatile as they come in the heavyweight ranks.

The Colorado native recently spoke to MMA media staple Rick Lee at the Reign Training Facility and Schaub talked about what landing a bout with a storied veteran like Arlovski means to him. 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.