Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz thinks a Ji?í Procházka title fight in Poland would be massive.
Blachowicz will likely get the next light heavyweight title shot against the Glover Teixeira/Procházka winner at UFC 275. Teixeira earned the title by defeating Blachowicz via submission at UFC 267 last year.
Blachowicz got back in the win column after Aleksandar Rakic suffered a leg injury during their fight just weeks ago. Now, the former 205lb champion seems to be next in line for a shot to reclaim the light heavyweight throne.
If Teixeira defeats Procházka at UFC 275, he’s already offered Blachowicz a rematch following the event. However, Teixeira will face a tough task in the form of Procházka, who has earned knockouts over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes in the Octagon.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Blachowicz talked about how both matchups would be exciting for him, but a fight with Procházka would be more profitable.
“I think both, if Glover wins, it’s gonna be a good story about the rematch; with Jiri, very good for us because if they will do this fight in Europe then it will be one of the biggest fights in Europe,” Blachowicz said. “Me against Jiri. It will be amazing because we’ll do somewhere in Poland or Czech Republic.
“I think if they will make this fight in Poland, me against Jiri, in national stadium. Joanna [Jedrzejczyk], Mateusz Gamrot. Sixty thousand people could be there.”
The UFC hasn’t hosted an event in Poland in years, but could potentially return if Blachowicz reclaims the belt. The promotion last held an event in Gdansk, Poland back in 2017, featuring a welterweight matchup between Donald Cerrone and Darren Till.
While Blachowicz sees the benefits of fights with both Teixeira and Procházka, he thinks a fight with Procházka would be one of the biggest in recent MMA history in Europe.
Do you think a Jan Blachowicz vs. Ji?í Procházka fight in Europe would sell out?
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