NORFOLK, Va. – Andrei Arlovski admits he made a critical mistake in his most recent outing.
Arlovski (28-19 MMA, 17-10 UFC) faced undefeated prospect Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 244 and was stopped in less than a minute.
It was a loss that could have cost him his UFC career and his fourth setback in five fights.
“Rozenstruik right now is training at American Top Team and he’s sparring behind the curtains, but my buddy who spars with him whooped his ass – and he makes me feel like (expletive) because I didn’t take that fight serious and I paid for it,” Arlovski said this past Saturday while a guest fighter at UFC on ESPN+ 27 in Norfolk, Va. “It was 29 seconds. I have no clue how he beat (Alistair) Overeem in the fifth round. So I guess he’s going to fight (Francis) Ngannou right now, and I don’t know what’s going to happen.
“It’s another lesson for me: I have to take my opponent seriously.”
Arlovski next faces PFL heavyweight champion Philipe Lins at UFC on ESPN+ 32 in Oklahoma City. With the upcoming matchup, he’s taking a more committed approach.
“I didn’t follow my game plan (against Rozenstruik), first of all, and secondly, I wasn’t that disciplined during the fight week,” Arlovski said. “I went to the restaurant and I had a nice dinner and I told all my coaches, ‘Listen, five more minutes and we’re going back to the restaurant.’ (Expletive) happens, you know, and thank God I still fight and I’m still in the UFC. I’m already three months with not even a glass of wine or beer, and I chose again what’s more important for me – and I just have to remind myself why I’m doing this.”
He’ll be taking on a fellow ATT-trained fighter in Lins, and it’s a matchup his coaches weren’t too fond of.
“It’s up to the UFC – I just never pick my opponents, and I just want to fight in general,” Arlovski said. “Some people (were) definitely not happy from ATT that I’m fighting Philipe, but this is nothing personal. It’s business.”
