Andrei Arlovski is transitioning to the world of bare-knuckle boxing.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) announced on Saturday that the former UFC heavyweight champion will debut in the promotion on June 21st at BKFC 76 in Fort Worth, Texas, facing Geronimo dos Santos.
The 46-year-old “Pitbull” is a celebrated figure in MMA, previously holding the UFC heavyweight title. He first claimed the interim belt at UFC 51 in 2005, later becoming the undisputed champion. His career saw ups and downs, including a departure from the UFC in 2008 and a return six years later for the final phase of his MMA journey within the organization. He departed the UFC again in 2024 after a series of losses. Earlier this year, Arlovski ventured into “Dirty Boxing,” securing a second-round stoppage win against Terrance Hodges in March.
His opponent, Geronimo dos Santos, is also a seasoned MMA veteran with a record of 45-26-1. Dos Santos made a successful BKFC debut in April, defeating Aleksei Oleinik via stoppage at BKFC 41.
Note: An earlier version of this report mistakenly referred to this bout as Arlovski`s retirement fight; that information has been corrected.
