After the conclusion of the event, Arlovski, 46, left the place with his family and friends. However, things quickly went awry when Arlovski ran into the polarizing Jack Doherty, who was filming while walking through the sand. The brief encounter immediately escalated when friends of Doherty, along with his bodyguard, threw punches at the MMA legend, sparking a short-lived brawl.
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Arlovski, 46, was unharmed after the YouTubers backed away. Speaking on Monday’s edition of Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Arlovski explained what exactly happened to spark the altercation.
“I tried to avoid all of this (but) they bumped into my wife. And shit happens, you know? I turn around and say, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ And boom, bam, bam, bam, bam, boom, boom: end of story,” Arlovski told Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show” on Monday while recalling the exchange.
“He hit me and I said, ‘Guy, what’s going on?’ And his friend jumps on me, and his bodyguard, and the video speaks for itself. That’s why I want to get more images from different angles. That’s all, more or less.”
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Arlovski (34-24 MMA; 1-0 boxing; 1-0 BKFC; 1-0 Dirty Boxing) has competed professionally at the highest level in combat sports across four different decades.
Despite his level of fame, Arlovski was impressed by the attention he got from the interaction.
“I woke up in the morning and was like, ‘What’s going on? Damn.’ Text messages, phone calls, some messages on Instagram. ‘You’re a hero,’ etc., etc., etc. I was shocked,” Arlovski said. “Listen, I didn’t get that much attention after a few fights in the UFC.”
Part of Doherty’s online shtick is bumping into strangers and starting fights while hiding behind his bodyguard and his companions. The 22-year-old has since taken to social media to claim his innocence in the fight. Despite video evidence from multiple angles proving otherwise, Doherty claimed that Arlovski was the one who bumped into his cameraman and threw a kick at him, prompting a flurry of fists.
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In good spirits after the affair, Arlovski has followed the online response, even welcoming the odd multi-man trick fight or showdown against Doherty’s bodyguard.
“Everyone blames the old man, the old man,” Arlovski said, amused. “Listen, I spent a lot of time reading those comments, and 99% think you’re full of shit, man.
“Over twenty-five years in the business, you think I don’t have enough fight time in the octagon, in the cage, in the ring, in practice, and I’m stupid enough to (start something with some kids)? I understand that if I was fucking alone and drunk, shit happens, but the video clearly shows (what happened). Like, come on, kid. I tried to ask him what’s going on and I got hit right away. It is what it is.”
Considering how grizzled a veteran Arlovski is in the combat sports space, the altercation initially sparked speculation about its legitimacy, thanks to Doherty constantly performing stunts like this online. When asked directly if that was the case, Arlovski responded as simply as one would expect.
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“How old am I?” he said with a laugh. “Of course not.”
In terms of his professional career, Arlovski has turned his attention away from MMA since parting ways with the UFC in 2024. “Pitbull” will return to action when he challenges BKFC Heavyweight Champion Ben Rothwell in the main event of BKFC: KnuckleMania 6 on February 7. The bout will be a trilogy of sorts: Arlovski knocked out Rothwell under the Affliction banner in 2008, then won a UFC rematch by decision. in 2019.