Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski has set his sights on returning to the promotion that he made his name in, but only on his terms.

The former champion, who now fights for the World Series of Fighting, has also admitted he plans on ascending to the summit of the UFC once again, regaining his old heavyweight title. Speaking to MMAWeekly.com, Arlovski (19-9-1) said he left the UFC on good terms, but doesn’t want his former standing as champion being the sole reason for his return.

“I left the UFC on good terms,” he told MMAWeekly.com. “I don’t want the UFC to take me back in the UFC because I was a champion in the UFC. I want to earn the opportunity to be back in the UFC again.”

“More imporantly, with my career, every fight I’ve shown a good fight, and showed my skills, and showed that I’m getting better and better from fight to fight. Like I said, you never know. I might one day be in the UFC again, but I definitely want to be a champion and I want to be number one in the world again because I know the taste of glory and the taste of being on top of the world. I also know that feeling when you’re down … Definitely, I will be on top again.”

Arlovski rose to stardom in the UFC heavyweight division between 2002 and 2005, thanks in no small part to his exciting stand-up style and his intense rivalry with fellow former UFC champion Tim Sylvia.

“The Pit Bull” has won four of his last five fights, with one “no contest” (vs. Tim Sylvia). He faces Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in the World Series of Fighting main event on March 23 LIVE on the NBC Sports Network.

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