UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski

You are here: Home

Widely regarded as one of the worlds most complete MMA/UFC fighters, as well as one of its most feared, is UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski. The Bobruisk, Belarus native, who goes by the moniker "The Pit-bull" due to his formidable fighting prowess, began fighting under the Sambo style at 16 as part of his training.

Such was Andrei's proficiency in this style he made the Belarus national team, winning bronze at his first World Championships, a competition he would win the following year.

In 2000, after graduating as a police officer, Andrei began kickboxing with previous former Soviet Union champion Dmitry Stepanov. With an improved fighting arsenal, Andrei made his move to MMA. He now trains out of Chicago Illinois.

With an awesome overall fighting record of 18 wins, three losses, Andrei has had his share of career highlights. The biggest of these came when he was crowned the UFC Heavyweight Champion on August 13 2005. Andrei has since defended this title and shows no signs of slowing down. "my goal is always to be the best I can be," he says. "Being champion means I need to wake up every day and work twice as hard." The hard work Andrei puts in, combined with his sheer talent and strong mental preparedness will give his opponents plenty to worry about in the years to come. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of martial arts hottest talents

At 16, Andrei graduated from college and enrolled in the Minsk police academy. It was during his law enforcement training, where he was ordered to join the Sambo team, that Andrei was to become the martial artist he is today. At 19, Andrei made the Belarus National Sambo team, finishing third in the under 21 category at the World Championships.

Andrei's stats:

Nickname: The Pitbull

Height: 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)

Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)

Born: February 4, 1979

Fighting out of: Chicago, Illinois

Town of birth: Minsk, Belarus

Fighting style: Sambo and kickboxing

Martial Edge: Hi Andrei. Are you preparing for a fight? If so, who are you fighting and what strategy are you using to ensure you win?

Andrei Arlovski: I am always training. I don’t have the date for my next fight or who my next opponent is. I am going to train hard and hope that this training helps me to win.

Martial Edge: What got your started in UFC and MMA fighting?

Andrei Arlovski: While I was fighting Sambo I was approached to try MMA. I became champion in Europe and I was then approached to fight in the UFC.

Martial Edge: Tell me more about the Sambo style you competed in for many years.

Andrei Arlovski: Sambo originated in Russia in the 20th century after the revolution. It’s a combination of different disciplines like Judo.

Authors note: The founders of Sambo sifted deliberately through all of the world’s martial arts to augment their military’s hand-to-hand combat system. The word Sambo is a Russian abbreviation meaning "self-defense without a weapon".

Martial Edge: You are the current UFC heavyweight champion. Was it always your goal to be a great fighter? What does being the UFC champ mean to you?

Andrei Arlovski: My goal has always been to do the best of my ability and be the best I can be. Being champion means I need to wake up everyday and work twice as hard.

Martial Edge: Where were you born? Were you athletic as a child?

Andrei Arlovski: I was born in Bobruisk, Belarus. Since childhood I have always been around sports and enjoyed them.

Martial Edge: Were there any fighters that inspired you to become a champion?

Andrei Arlovski: There are a number of fighters out there that I like but I personally always try to achieve the most I can.

Martial Edge: Who are your favourite fighters today, and why?

Andrei Arlovski: In MMA I really like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell. In boxing I admire Tapia, and Oscar De La Hoya.

Martial Edge: What qualities do you have that make you a good fighter?

Andrei Arlovski: Character and hard work makes a great fighter.

Martial Edge: Where did the nickname "The Pitbull" come from?

Andrei Arlovski: One of my trainers was breeding Pitbulls and had two of his own. They are the best fight dogs!

Martial Edge: How do you prepare for a fight?

Andrei Arlovski: I train all day with a combination of many different activities. I take Gamma O twice a day and now I can train harder with less resting.

Martial Edge: What kind of training program do you have? Describe an average session.

Andrei Arlovski: A typical day may include physical strength training, boxing and grappling.

Martial Edge: What kind of diet are you on? Describe how you eat to prepare for a big fight.

Andrei Arlovski: I take Gamma O 2x a day and I try to only eat chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables

Martial Edge: Do you take any supplements? If so, which ones and what kind of results have you seen?

Andrei Arlovski: Before learning about Gamma-O I just took a combination of vitamins. Now I take Gamma-O for Athletes. It gives me more power to train harder then ever. I feel very strong and even gained more muscle.

My greatest moment was when I became the champion of the world. They raised my hands and put the belt on my waist.

Martial Edge: What do you like most about professional fighting?

Andrei Arlovski: The excitement the fight creates as well as the excitement from the fans and people watching.

Martial Edge: You have had many successes as a fighter. What has been your greatest
moment, and why?

Andrei Arlovski: My greatest moment was when I became the champion of the world. They raised my hands and put the belt on my waist.

Authors note: Andrei submitted Tim Sylvia at UFC 51 to become the interim heavyweight champion. Andrie then secured a TKO victory over Justin Eliers at UFC 53 to defend this title. Finally, Andrei is declared the official UFC Heavyweight Champion due to Frank Mir's inability to defend this title. Since then, Andrei has successfully defended his title by knocking out Paul Buentello at UFC 55.

Martial Edge: Who has been your toughest opponent, and why?

Andrei Arlovski: All of my opponents were tough. There were no easy opponents and the UFC brings in the best fighters to compete. The opponent that stands out the most is Pedro Rizzo.

Authors note: Pedro "The Rock" Rizzo (born May 3, 1974) is a Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter and professional kickboxer. He has a professional MMA record of 14-6-0 as of June 26, 2005. Rizzo is considered to be one of the better strikers within MMA.

Martial Edge: You are training and fighting out of Chicago. What is it like to train there? How does it compare to training in Belarus?

Andrei Arlovski: I love Chicago! I love to train and live here; the people of Chicago are great. My training conditions are excellent and I have a great organization behind me.

Martial Edge: What other interests do you have Andrei? What do you enjoy other than
fighting?

Andrei Arlovski: I like reading books, listening to music and spend time with my friends. I also like skydiving and fast cars.

Martial Edge: You would be considered young for a great fighter. What do you want to
achieve before you retire?

Andrei Arlovski: I am not thinking about retirement yet. But my goal is always to be the best I can be. Always improve, always be better.

Martial Edge: Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you in your fight
career? Do you have any sponsors you would like to mention?

Andrei Arlovski: I would thank my team of trainers. Dino Costeas has been with me through my
ups and downs over the years. I would like to thank Mike Garcia, my boxing
trainer and Oleg Danilov who is my strength trainer. I would also thank my
managers, friends and fans for their support and believing in me. I would
like to thank my sponsors, Gamma-O, Full Contact Fighter, Prestige Leasing,
Eggshell cafe and its owner Johnny.

Martial Edge: Thank you for this interview Andrei

Author Profile: David Robson

View Full Profile