Andre Arlovski isn’t performed simply but.
At UFC 303, Arlovski fought for the ultimate time within the UFC, dropping a break up choice to Martin Buday. The bout was Arlovski’s forty second within the promotion, second all-time to Jim Miller, and solely added to the varied heavyweight data Arlovski holds, together with fights, combat time, and important strikes, amongst others. And heading into the bout, the previous heavyweight champion says he knew it might be his closing stroll for the promotion.
“I knew it might be my final combat,” Arlovski mentioned on The MMA Hour. “UFC proposed to do one thing however I didn’t need it as a result of my chapter within the UFC is closed, however positively not in my MMA profession. That’s why I made a decision to do nothing. And yeah, it was final combat [in the UFC].
“That’s why I didn’t wish to do any goodbye movies or no matter. However I do admire the UFC household, Dana [White], Hunter [Campbell]. [But] I’m not performed combating. I’m performed with the UFC however I’m not performed combating.”
Arlovski was the final lively UFC fighter who competed for the promotion earlier than Zuffa LLC bought it in 2001. Making his promotional debut at UFC 28 again in 2000, Arlovski spent many of the subsequent 24 years below the UFC banner, save for a four-year stretch competing for quite a lot of promotions. That’s a very long time to spend with one firm. Even somebody as stoic as “The Pitbull” wasn’t positive he’d have the ability to maintain his feelings in verify at UFC 303.
“Be trustworthy with you, I believed I used to be going to be like a crying child, I’m going to cry like a bit bitch,” Arlovski mentioned. “However as of right this moment I sit down and this isn’t the tip of life. Clearly I spent the largest period of time coaching and combating within the UFC, however I didn’t signal a brand new contract with the UFC, I left the UFC, my chapter within the UFC is finished, however life will not be over.
“So like I mentioned, I’m very excited, and really I’m very pleased with how I held [my feelings] once I left the octagon on my means again to the again to the physician to verify all of the stuff from the combat. That was good.
“In fact, I obtained a bit little bit of emotion, and really it’s humorous, as a result of proper after the combat we obtained again to the resort and First Spherical Administration gave me a pleasant current, a pleasant ring with some diamonds and a pitbull emblem. … [Abe Kawa] gave a speech and I obtained tears, I’m not going to lie, in my eyes.”
What comes subsequent for Arlovski remains to be up within the air, although the previous heavyweight champion insists he’ll maintain combating for just a few extra years.
“I wish to beat a pair extra data,” Arlovski mentioned. “One, Bernard Hopkins, he fought at 48 in his final combat and he was a champion. He gained that combat. Clearly Uncle Dana helped me to purchase a brand new home, however I have to pay payments. I’ve obtained a new child child, so I have to do one thing a pair extra years.”
Hopkins truly continued combating into his 50s, even defending the IBF gentle heavyweight title till he was 49 years outdated, so at 45, Arlovski nonetheless has a number of years left to catch as much as “The Executioner.” And on condition that, there’s additionally at all times the likelihood that Arlovski should still return to UFC sooner or later. He actually is leaving the door open.
“My first UFC was UFC 28, and I truly thought if — it’s at all times a hope, proper?” Arlovski mentioned. “If I get one other contract, I might love that my final combat in UFC could be UFC 328. 300 UFCs later. However who is aware of? We’ll see.”
But when that doesn’t occur, Arlovski is content material with how his UFC profession has performed out, and has quite a lot of pleasure in what he’s achieved.
“I can name myself actually a fighter, I suppose,” Arlovski mentioned. “Combating 24 years in the USA and nearly 20 years in the very best group … 20 years in the very best league. To see the way it was to start with to proper now, that is like, wow.”
Arlovski ends his UFC profession with a report of 23-18 and one no-contest.
