Former UFC Champ Andrei Arlovski Wants to Earn His Way Back to the Top

Former UFC heavyweight titleholder Andrei Arlovski wants to someday return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship and vie for the heavyweight title again.

Arlovski (19-9-1) rose to UFC stardom with his speed, accuracy and punching power, overwhelming opponents with offense from 2002 to 2005.

He went on a six-fight win streak, capturing the UFC heavyweight title by defeating Tim Sylvia at UFC 52 on Feb. 5, 2005.  He defended the belt twice before relinquishing it back to Tim Sylvia at UFC 59 in April 2006.

Arlovski left the UFC on a three-fight win streak in early 2008.

“I left the UFC on good terms,” Arlovski told MMAWeekly.com.

Arlovski doesn’t want his former status as UFC champion to dictate if the organization offers him a contract in the future.  He wants to earn his way back into the top tier of the heavyweight division.

“I don’t want the UFC to take me back in the UFC because I was a champion in the UFC.  I want to earn the opportunity to be back in the UFC again,” he said.

The 34-year-old UFC veteran doesn’t want to just return to the Octagon, he wants to re-capture the heavyweight belt.

“More importantly, with my career, every fight I’ve shown a good fight, and showed my skills, and showed that I’m getting better and better and better from fight to fight.  Like I said, you never know.  I might one day be in the UFC again, but I definitely want to be a champion and I want to be No. 1 in the world again because I know the taste of glory and the taste of being on top of the world.  I also know that feeling when you’re down,” said Arlovski.

“I definitely want to be a champion and I want to be on top of the world again,” added the former titleholder.   “Definitely, I will be on top again.”

Arlovski faces Anthony Johnson in the main event on the World Series of Fighting card on March 23.  The event will air live on NBC Sports Network.

Be sure to Like MMAWeekly.com on Facebook and Follow @MMAWeeklycom on Twitter.