Andrei Arlovski says he didn’t take Jairzinho Rozenstruik seriously and he paid the price.
Back at UFC 244, the former UFC heavyweight champion in Arlovski was taking on Rozenstruik in just his third UFC fight. There, he suffered a first-round knockout loss. For Arlovski, he says the loss nearly cost him his UFC career.
“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 Norfolk (via MMA Junkie). “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.”
Now, at UFC Oklahoma City, Arlovski is set to fight Philipe Lins. The former champ says he’s now disciplined and will take his opponents seriously.
“I didn’t follow my game plan (against Rozenstruik), first of all. 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. 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. I just have to remind myself why I’m doing this.”
Whether or not this newfound discipline and taking his opponents seriously will benefit Andrei Arlovski is to be seen.
What do you make of Andrei Arlovski saying he didn’t take Jairiznho Rozenstruik seriously?