Andrei Arlovski has achieved so much throughout his legendary profession however one mistake particularly nonetheless sticks with him all these years later.
Again in 2009, Arlovski was one of many greatest free-agent signings to hitch the upstart Affliction promotion began by the T-shirt model well-known for outrageously costly and flamboyant T-shirts. After knocking out Ben Rothwell in his first struggle with the promotion, Arlovski obtained booked in opposition to former PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko in one of the anticipated heavyweight fights of the yr.
Arlovski got here blazing out of the gate and caught Emelianenko with a number of stiff pictures and a few nasty leg kicks to begin the struggle however then he determined to throw an ill-fated flying knee that backfired. Earlier than he may even get his knee to attach, Emelianenko blasted him with a brutal proper hook that face-planted Arlovski on the canvas.
Within the 16 years since that struggle ended, Arlovski has all the time wished one other shot at Emelianenko, however regardless of public feedback expressing curiosity in probably operating it again, the previous UFC heavyweight champion isn’t satisfied “The Final Emperor” is definitely severe about it.
“The primary struggle, I obtained caught and that’s my greatest remorse,” Arlovski informed MMA Combating. “However it’s what it’s. It’s a truth. I misplaced that struggle. The place’s Emelianenko now? Struggling in Russia? I’m nonetheless preventing. I nonetheless do what I like to do and possibly a miracle goes to occur, and we’re going to struggle once more.”
One of many most important causes Arlovski held out hope that he would possibly nonetheless get an opportunity at some kind of rematch was listening to Emelianenko point out his title throughout an interview.
That instantly obtained him excited however since then Arlovski says Emelianenko has fallen silent with out a lot phrase about whether or not he was severe about going through off once more.
“The rationale I discussed Emelianenko, a Russian reporter, he gave an interview and he mentioned ‘if Arlovski’s title got here up, clearly I’m not going to do MMA, however I’d like to field him,’” Arlovski recounted. “So I wished to have a solution from him however he’s quiet as f*ck. So clearly I don’t know.”
Arlovski was blissful to contemplate a boxing match in opposition to Emelianenko as a result of that’s a sport he’s all the time wished attempt as nicely however actually he’ll take that struggle anyway he can get it.
“On a regular basis, I really like boxing,” Arlovski mentioned. “Again in 2009, I used to be signed with Golden Boy promotions. Oscar De La Hoya signed me and gave me like $50,000 as a signing bonus. I misplaced a few fights, I used to be sick and he mentioned ‘preserve the bonus, we’re not but.’ However I used to be presupposed to struggle [Wladimir] Klitschko again in 2009 and clearly I used to be supposed be the primary man to do what [Floyd] Mayweather did in opposition to [Conor] McGregor. However I can wait [for Fedor], we’ll see.”
On Saturday, Arlovski is definitely making his bare-knuckle preventing debut after inking a deal to compete in BKFC and he’s even open to that risk, though he extremely doubts Emelianenko would contemplate it.
“Completely not,” Arlovski mentioned about Emelianenko going through him in a bare-knuckle struggle. “We’ll see. Possibly BKFC will do one thing. We’ll see.”
For now, Arlovski is staying targeted on what he can management and proper now his speedy future is a struggle in opposition to Josh Copeland in BKFC.
With over 25 years of expertise underneath his belt already, Arlovski remains to be discovering new methods to shock himself whereas additionally discovering new fight sports activities to expertise for the primary time. He did Mike Perry’s Soiled Boxing for his most up-to-date struggle and now he’s testing himself within the bare-knuckle enviornment.
What do these two issues have in frequent?
“Hear, I need to generate income,” Arlovski mentioned. “It doesn’t matter Soiled Boxing or common boxing or BKFC, it doesn’t matter. I need to generate income for a pair extra years and that’s it and retire from the game.”
BKFC has exploded in recognition over the previous few years and Arlovski is unquestionably inquisitive about exploring future alternatives with the promotion assuming all goes nicely in his debut.
In reality it’s not misplaced on Arlovski that he really holds two wins over present BKFC heavyweight champion Ben Rothwell and that’s a struggle he would additionally gladly revisit as nicely.
“I beat him twice and I can beat him in BKFC,” Arlovski mentioned about Rothwell. “However positively when he received the title I congratulated him and I requested possibly we are able to dance within the ring. Clearly no reply however OK.
“My subsequent transfer, I signed with BKFC so we’ll see what’s subsequent. Clearly it’s less than me, it’s as much as the individuals in BKFC.”
