Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz open to meeting a former opponent in Thiago Santos for a rematch.
Jan Blachowicz is interested in meeting a former opponent for one of his planned title defenses at light heavyweight.
Blachowicz recently earned the vacated light heavyweight championship after knocking out Dominick Reyes in the second round of their fight at UFC 253. Blachowicz initially called out the former champion in Jon Jones for his first defense, but he has since put ‘Bones’ on the side for more viable options.
One of those options is Thiago Santos, who Blachowicz has already met before more than a year ago in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Santos. The fight did not go in favor of Blachowicz as Santos knocked him out in the third round, which snapped the four-fight win streak he was on at the time.
Blachowicz has since rebounded from the loss to Santos and has now set his sights on him once again. Santos is returning for the first time since his failed title bid against then-champion Jones at UFC 239 and will be taking on Glover Teixeira at UFC Vegas 13.
Blachowicz told Damon Martin of MMA Fighting that should Santos win on Saturday night, he would be happy to meet his foe turned friend for a second time.
“We are friends but not inside the octagon,” said Blachowicz (transcription via MMA Fighting). “Inside the octagon, I have a job to do. If he wins against Glover, that would be perfect for me to defend against him, have the rematch against him.
“That would be nice to win a fight against him, defend the belt. Something I would like to do.”
No matter who wins between Teixeira and Santos there is a chance that they may end up being left out in the cold. UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has been poised to move up in weight and meet Blachowicz for the light heavyweight championship, but that fight is yet to be made official.
Blachowicz recently said any fight with Adesanya would have to wait until sometime after March, 2021.