Andrey Arlovski Belarusian athlete performing in mixed martial arts Date of Birth: 04.02.1979 Country: Belarus

1. Exclusive Interview with Former UFC Champion Andrei Arlovski
2. One FC Contract and Potential Future Fights
3. Replacement Opponent and Thoughts on Palhares
4. Motivation for Fighting Sylvia Again
5. Relationship with Coach Greg Jackson
6. Training Story and Jackson's MMA Gym
7. Relationships with Teammates and Russian Fighters
8. Olympic Wrestling and Following Bilyal Makhov
9. Lack of Interest in UFC Heavyweight Division
10. Potential Fight with Alexander Emelianenko

Exclusive Interview with Former UFC Champion Andrei Arlovski

Belarusian athlete Andrei Arlovski (17-9), who competes in mixed martial arts, gives an exclusive interview to Blood&Sweat, in which he shares his impressions of the Olympics and talks about the cancelled fight with Alexander Emelianenko (20-5).

One FC Contract and Potential Future Fights

Arlovski recently signed a contract with Singaporean promotion ONE FC. The contract is initially for one fight, but he is open to considering an extension if the offer is interesting. He also mentions the possibility of fighting in Russia.

Replacement Opponent and Thoughts on Palhares

Arlovski was originally supposed to fight Soa Palelei, but Palelei withdrew from the bout. Arlovski comments on this, stating that he was initially told that a member of the Gracie family would be his opponent, but they were likely to decline. Arlovski also mentions that he does not know why Palelei withdrew from the fight.

Motivation for Fighting Sylvia Again

Arlovski explains that he has personal motivations for fighting Tim Sylvia again. He wants to not only win, but also inflict serious damage on Sylvia. He believes that Sylvia is also motivated to fight him in a similar way, which will make the fight a real war.

Relationship with Coach Greg Jackson

Arlovski speaks highly of his coach Greg Jackson, mentioning that Jackson is always learning, searching for new techniques, and tailoring game plans for each opponent. He appreciates that Jackson pays attention to all his fighters and is actively involved in their training.

Training Story and Jackson's MMA Gym

Arlovski shares a story about a training session in the mountains with his coach Greg Jackson. They were running, but Arlovski began to struggle and had to walk the rest of the way. Afterwards, Arlovski pretended to be seriously injured during a weightlifting exercise, amusing Jackson with his reaction.

Relationships with Teammates and Russian Fighters

Arlovski explains that he maintains good relationships with his teammates at the gym and is polite to everyone. He does not actively seek friendships but tries to treat everyone with respect. He also mentions training with Russian fighter Adlan Amagov and his admiration for the level of talent at Jackson's MMA.

Olympic Wrestling and Following Bilyal Makhov

Arlovski mentions his interest in Olympic wrestling and his disappointment that Bilyal Makhov only won a bronze medal instead of gold. He expresses his belief that Makhov will achieve gold in the future and mentions his desire to train with wrestlers in Dagestan.

Lack of Interest in UFC Heavyweight Division

Arlovski admits that he does not closely follow the heavyweight division in the UFC, only paying attention to fights that directly involve him. However, he mentions his support for his teammate Travis Browne, who will be fighting Antonio Silva.

Potential Fight with Alexander Emelianenko

Arlovski discusses the potential fight with Alexander Emelianenko, stating that it was proposed as a boxing match on a show that also featured Vitali Klitschko fighting Manuel Charr. He expresses his disappointment that Emelianenko initially agreed but then backed out. Arlovski believes that the fight would have been a great opportunity for both of them and questions Emelianenko's reasons for declining.