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[Bullock]

*****UPDATE:

http://www.thefightnetwork.com/news_detail.php?nid=5698

Belarusian Heavyweight Content in UFC Ranks

By Loretta Hunt (loretta@thefightnetwork.com)
Photo Courtesy of UFC.com

Andrei Arlovski’s management has broken its silence to refute a report that the Belarusian fighter is planning to leave the Ultimate Fighting Championship when his contract expires in April.

MMAWeekly.com reported Sunday that “sources close to the fighter” confirmed that Arlovski was waiting out his UFC contract in anticipation of signing with another promotion.

Arlovski’s longtime representative, Leo Khorlinsky, said this is not the case.

“We have a great working relationship with the UFC and are waiting for Andrei’s next fight there,” said Khorlinsky. “Any news otherwise is false and negligent. There is no ‘source’ that could accurately make this claim. At no point in time did Andrei or any of his representatives make this claim. Andrei is very upset to hear that these lies about him were reported.”

Khorlinsky confirmed to The Fight Network that Arlovski (11-5) was offered fights in November and March, but both opponents turned down the bouts for undisclosed reasons. Arlovski is currently training to return to the Octagon in March to complete the final fight on his current UFC contract.

“The details of Andrei’s contract negotiations with the UFC are private,” said Khorlinsky. “Andrei is a UFC fighter and his goal is a UFC title. Andrei is looking forward to his next fight in the Octagon period.”

Chicago resident Arlovski, 28, became the UFC heavyweight champion at UFC 47 in Feb. 2005, after he submitted Tim Sylvia (24-3). Arlovski defended the title two times before he was unseated by Sylvia at UFC 59 in April 2006. Arlovski has won his last two bouts to Marcio "Pe De Pano" Cruz (3-2) at UFC 66 and Fabricio Werdum (9-3-1) at April's UFC 70 in Manchester, England.

http://mmajunkie.com/2007/12/17/rep-...-in-ufc-again/

Andrei Arlovski isn’t sitting out waiting for his UFC contract to expire, and the former champ does expect to fight again for the UFC in the near future, a representative of the fighter today told MMAjunkie.com.

Leo Khorlinsky, a member of Arlovski’s management team, today said that a weekend report that stated Arlovski was simply waiting for his contract to expire so he could sign on with another organization wasn’t true.

In fact, Khorlinsky said the Arlovski and his management team have a very healthy relationship with the UFC and that they’ve been in constant communication with UFC executives. This despite the fact that the 28-year-old Belarusian, a former UFC heavyweight champion, hasn’t fought in the UFC since an April UFC 70 victory over Fabricio Werdum.

“The report was absolutely not true, and the UFC is working closely with us.” Khorlinsky said. “They haven’t been disrespectful to us. (Arlovski) has stated numerous times that he’s looking forward to his next fight with the UFC.“

That fight will likely come in March, according to Khorlinsky. Currently, only UFC 82 (March 1 in Columbus) has been officially announced by the UFC.

“When we talk to the UFC, we keep it confidential, and they keep it confidential,” Khorlinsky said.

Over the weekend, MMAWeekly.com reported that sources close to Arlovski said that the fighter is simply waiting for his UFC contract to expire in April, and at that time, the fighter will move on to another organization. MMAjunkie.com inadvertently attributed those quotes to Arlovski himself in today’s story and assumed it was the fighter’s public stance stemming from his many interviews over the weekend. In fact, Arlovski said that he does expect to fight for the UFC again soon.

There was no word if Arlovski might sign a new deal before his next fight with the UFC, which would be the last one on his current deal.

Arlovski (11-5), who now fights out of Chicago, was in Dallas over the weekend for the “HDNet Fights: Reckless Abandon” event to support Tim Kennedy, who lost a unanimous-decision to Jason Miller in the night’s main event.

[Ramma]

Well, that is good news... bad for M-1 though

[Bullock]

It could just be posturing on the part of his rep, but this is good news to me b/c I want to see AA stay in the UFC. AA vs CC please.

[The Iceman]

Dana needs to go ahead and pay Arlovski what he's asking. He would be a huge loss to the UFC's HW division and could help an up and coming organization greatly

[2mcgrath]

yeah i hope this true.i also want to see him stay in the ufc.i see lots more matchups there that i would like to see him fight in

[smoogy]

Its all in the wording I think. He might have one last fight on his UFC contract if that what Zuffa wants to do but everything I have heard leads me to believe that he will test his value as a free agent and not re-sign with the UFC before the end of April

[mcdev88]

this is a good sign. i wonder who he is fighting in march?

CC? kongo?

[Severn]

I need more than "this is not the case." to make me not take stock in those M1 rumors.

[buddahman]

aa should fight kongo winner should fight the winner of tim vs. big nog.

[Bullock]

Originally Posted by smoogy

Its all in the wording I think. He might have one last fight on his UFC contract if that what Zuffa wants to do but everything I have heard leads me to believe that he will test his value as a free agent and not re-sign with the UFC before the end of April

You are probably right, but anything we've heard up till now has just been hear-say. Arlovski has been vague.