Artem Lobov, who is currently 2-4 in the UFC, is known for his durability and willingness to go toe-to-toe with his opponents.
Conor McGregor’s training partner and UFC featherweight Artem ‘The Russian Hammer’ Lobov first announced himself on the global MMA stage when he competed on The Ultimate Fighter Season 22. He made it to The Ultimate Fighter Finale and faced high-level grappler Ryan Hall. Lobov was able to successfully avoid Hall’s famous leg locks but was unable to get the victory, losing via unanimous decision.
Lobov is now currently on a 2 fight losing streak after losing his last fight to Andre Fili via unanimous decision, but Lobov seems unfazed at the proposition of being cut from the UFC claiming to have more lucrative offers elsewhere.
Artem was asked about these offers and opportunities in a recent episode of BJ Penn Radio.
“Perhaps boxing or K-1. I don’t lack any offers. I have a lot of offers on the table. Some very good financial offers for more money than I’m actually currently getting in the UFC.”
“UFC, this is the premier organisation. This is where the toughest matchups are and this is what I’m always after,” he continued. “Of course it’s a place where I want to be. But I was gonna prepare that, if I was let go I had a plan of action in place.
“And I wasn’t gonna dwell on it, I wasn’t gonna be crying or begging or anything like that. I was ready to move on and tackle the next problem and see what happens next.”
Lobov strongly believes that he has the striking ability to seamlessly transition from mixed martial arts to pure striking.
“I know I’ve got the skill. I know there’s not a man in the world in any of the striking arts that would just run over me,” Lobov said. “So I’m comfortable in competing K-1 or boxing. And I still am, even though I’m in the UFC now.
“But perhaps at the end of my contract or whatever, or down the line in the future, I don’t wanna rule this one out. I certainly will explore all avenues. K-1, boxing, all of them.”
It now seems like ‘The Russian Hammer’ is considering a career change. There has been much discussion regarding the amount of money that the UFC pays their fighters. Among the 18 salary-reported events of 2016, 79 fighters earned $20,000 or less, according to Bleacher Report’s analysis.
With these figures, it’s not a surprise that more fighters are jumping over to different organisations, and even different sports in some cases to make ends meet.
Artem Lobov faces Alex Caceres at UFC 223 on April 7, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
How would Artem Lobov do in K-1 or boxing?
