UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira has offered Jan Blachowicz a chance at the belt after Teixeira’s scheduled title defense at UFC 275.
The Brazilian champion posted the offer on Twitter during the fight card for UFC Vegas 54, which was headlined by Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Raki?.
“Let’s go @JanBlachowicz Win tonight…and I’ll win Jun 11…then we run it back”
Teixeira challenged Blachowicz for the latter’s light heavyweight title at UFC 267, winning the fight by rear-naked choke in the second round. That matchup was Teixeira’s second shot at UFC gold after the Brazilian lost a unanimous decision to longtime light heavyweight king Jon Jones in 2014.
Blachowicz has already done his part to make the rematch a possibility. The Polish fighter emerged from his main event fight against Raki? with a third-round TKO victory, albeit probably not in the way he expected. After the light heavyweights split the first two rounds, Raki?’s knee suddenly gave out just over a minute into the third. The fight was quickly called off, and Blachowicz was awarded the TKO win.
The victory against Raki? was Blachowicz’s first fight since losing the title to Teixeira at UFC 267. Although the result might carry an asterisk for some people, Blachowicz had been fighting well up to the point of Raki?’s injury. The 39-year old former champion entered the fight as the underdog but won the first round before being out grappled by Raki? in the second.
It’s now up to Glover Teixeira to hold up his end of the bargain and successfully defend the light heavyweight belt on June 11 at UFC 275. Currently lined as the underdog, the 42-year old Teixeira will defend his title against Czech finisher Ji?í Procházka. Procházka has only fought twice in the UFC but won both fights by second-round knockout, and he’s currently on a 12-fight win streak dating back to 2015.
What do you think about Teixeira’s offer? Is a rematch between him and Blachowicz the fight to make if Teixeira successfully defends his title at UFC 275?
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