Arlovski’s Longtime Pet Having Health Problems … And It’s Heartbreaking

UFC heavyweight Andrei Arlovski’s pitbull, Maximus, appears to be having some health issues.

“Maximus, he’s my friend,” Arlovski said on UFC’s Road to the Octagon. “He had surgery and it was hard, it was hard. Doctor told me he removed some stuff from his spleen and it was fifty-fifty and yeah, I cried. I cried. In January, he’s going to be eleven years old. Definitely, he went through thought situations, tough times in my life. I consider him my family.”

On Saturday, Jan. 28, Arlovski will fight heavyweight prospect Francis Ngannou at a UFC on FOX event in Denver, Colorado.

Arlovski is on a three-fight losing streak in the UFC. In September, he was submitted by former champion Josh Barnett. In May, he lost to Alistair Overeem by TKO. Last January, he was knocked out by current UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic.

Ngannou is on an eight-fight win streak, with his last four fights taking place in the UFC. All of Ngannou’s wins have come by knockout or submission within the first two rounds.