Andrei Arlovski Fights Out Contract With UFC 303 Loss, Plans To Compete In Different Promotion

Former undisputed heavyweight champion, Andrei Arlovski has officially fought out his promotional contract in last night’s UFC 303 fight against Martin Buday, and according to reports, plans to leave the Dana White-promotion and compete elsewhere. 

Arlovski, a perennial heavyweight contender inside the Octagon and a former undisputed heavyweight gold holder, featured last night at UFC 303, dropping a split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) loss to Slovakian heavyweight, Buday over the course of three rounds.

Andrei Arlovski ends lengthy tenure with the UFC

And according to Ariel Helwani, Belarus native, Arlovski will attempt to continue his combat sports career in an alternate organization, having officially fighting out his contract with the UFC.

“Last night was the final fight on Andrei Arlovski’s UFC contract,” Helwani posted on his official X account. “He will not be re-signing with the promotion, I’m told, but he is still planning on fighting elsewhere.”

Arlovski, 45, made his sixtieth professional walk overnight against Buday, ending his tenure in the promotion in the midst of a four-fight losing skid. 

However, making his debut in the organization back in 2000 at UFC 28 in a career which spanned multiple tenures in the promotion, Arlovski managed to land the interimheavyweight crown in a achilles lock submission win over Tim Sylvia at UFC 51, before landing consecutive defenses against Justin Eilers, and then Paul Buentello. 

Over the course of his Octagon tenure, Arlovski has also landed other notable triumphs over the likes of Vladimir Matyushenko, Fabricio Werdum, Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson, Brendan Schaub, Antonio Silva, Travis Browne, Frank Mir, and Stefan Struve to name a few. 

Departing the promotion, Arlovski follows the retirement of perennial strawweight contender, Michelle Waterson, who ended her combat sports career on the preliminary card of UFC 303 in a decision loss against grappling talent, Gillian Robertson. 

What’s your favorite memory from the UFC career of ex-champion, Andrei Arlovski?