'He's Dead, I'm Alive': Former UFC Champion Andrei Arlovski Apologizes to the Late Anthony Johnson's Family After a Backlash
Andrei Arlovski, the 47-year-old Belarusian-American former UFC heavyweight champion, said in a recent podcast interview about his 2013 loss to the late Anthony "Rumble" Johnson that he was the real winner because, in his words, "he's dead, I'm alive." After the clip spread on social media on November 7 and drew an angry backlash across the MMA world, Arlovski posted a lengthy apology on Instagram, saying the remark grew out of his own three battles with cancer and apologizing in particular to Johnson's family and loved ones.
According to MMA outlet Bloody Elbow, Arlovski made the comment on David Guttman's podcast while looking back at the World Series of Fighting 2 headliner in March 2013. In that fight, Johnson dropped Arlovski with a heavy right hand in the first round and broke his jaw, then won a unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards. In the interview, Arlovski first said the judges had given the victory to Johnson, then added: "But I'm the winner anyway. He's dead, I'm alive." The clip was posted to X by accounts including Happy Punch on November 7 and spread quickly; according to Athlon and MMASucka, active fighters including Belal Muhammad and Joaquin Buckley were among those who publicly criticized the remark.
Johnson died in November 2022 at age 38. According to Bloody Elbow, he died of organ failure brought on by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
Arlovski opened his Instagram statement by swearing at what he called haters digging for something bad, saying the lesson was that he has to check interviews before they go live. He then wrote: "Anthony beat me in the Octagon. That's a fact and I have nothing but respect for him as a fighter. When I said that I was still a winner because I'm alive today, I never meant that his passing was somehow my victory. That's not who I am and that's not what I believe." He said he has fought cancer three times, facing "an opponent much bigger than anything I have ever faced inside the Octagon," and that the experience taught him how precious life is. English is his second language, he wrote, and "sometimes the words that come out of my mouth don't fully express what's in my heart or my head. I take responsibility for how my words sounded." He said it was the second time he has had to apologize for saying something wrong, and that he was truly sorry to anyone he hurt or offended, especially Johnson's family and loved ones.
He closed the statement by writing: "The greatest victory in life isn't about winning a fight. It's about being alive, being grateful and having another chance to wake up tomorrow morning. Anthony won our fight. Nothing will ever change that. Cancer is not a competition. Death is not a victory. Life is the gift. Rest in peace, Anthony "Rumble" Johnson."
Source: Bloody Elbow
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Andrei Arlovski资料图，2018年9月在UFC格斗之夜136期间受访（MMAnytt.se摄制，CC BY 3.0，经Wikimedia Commons）。/ File photo: Andrei Arlovski during UFC Fight Night 136 in September 2018 (by MMAnytt.se, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
