Strikeforce Fedor vs. Silva Results: Doctor Says Andrei Arlovski Should Retire

Fans may have seen the careers of two great heavyweights come to an end at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva.

Before Fedor Emelianenko pondered retirement in his postfight interview after being defeated by Antonio Silva, former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski was knocked out for the third time in four fights, this time by Sergei Kharitonov.

Arlovski has now been knocked out seven times in his career and fans have begun to question whether or not he should call it quits for his own good. Dr. Johnny Benjamin, medical columnist for MMAJunkie, echoed those concerns:

"Since January 2009, Arlovski has suffered three documented major concussions (to Emelianenko, Brett Rogers and now Kharitonov). Many other minor concussions went unnoticed, and any fighter is going to take countless routine blows to the head during sparring and training.

"Ongoing research suggests that repetitive blows to the head (including those that do not produce concussions or any symptoms at all) are cumulative in nature and can be injurious to the brain. This battered brain syndrome is called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and is very serious.

"A prudent doctor and athletic commission will have a very difficult time ignoring the cumulative brain trauma sustained throughout Arlovski's career and the growing mountain of evidence related to CTE."

Every great fighter wants to leave on their own terms. Arlovski's 15-9 record might not put him in the category of great fighters, but he has had an excellent career with eleven knockout victories of his own.

It would be extremely unfortunate for Arlovski to be remembered for his injuries or worse, when he could be remembered for all of his accomplishments and the exciting moments he provided throughout his career.

We have seen other fighters like Chuck Liddell try to continue fighting against the better advice of others. Too often, those stubborn decisions only result in heartache for the fighter and his fans. 

For his legacy as a fighter, and more importantly for his own safety, it might be time for Arlovski to call it a career.