Jan Blachowicz is now the only man Israel Adesanya hasn’t defeated in mixed martial arts (MMA).
March 2021 provided MMA fans with a relatively surprising champion vs. champion clash, pitting the then-Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight kingpin, Blachowicz, against Middleweight titleholder, Adesanya. Ultimately, Blachowicz’s size and strength were too much for “The Last Stylebender” to overcome, leading the Pol to a successful first-title defense via a unanimous decision.
Coming off a split draw in his vacant title tilt opposite Magomed Ankalaev this past Dec. 2022, Blachowicz is now open to the idea of changing weight classes and pursuing a rematch with Adesanya.
“People need to believe a little bit more in me,” Blachowicz told Peter Carroll. “If UFC would like to make this fight [at Middleweight], I will do it, no problem. I know how to do it, it will be great motivation for me to beat him in another one. So, yeah, why not? I’m ready to do that.
“I find a way how to do it,” he continued regarding the weight. “And of course, how to do it and feel in very good shape in the fight. If I wasn’t [confident], I wouldn’t say it.”
A fight at 185 pounds would be the first for the 40-year-old Blachowicz. All the 39-fight veteran requests is for the promotion to give him around three to four months at minimum to prepare his body.
Since the Blachowicz setback, Adesanya has lost only once but reclaimed his title, defeating Alex Pereira this past weekend (April 8, 2023) at UFC 287 via a second-round knockout (watch highlights). Where Adesanya goes from next is uncertain, but Blachowicz was impressed by the performance nonetheless and feels he’d freshen up the landscape.
“He beat almost everybody in the division so he needs new challenges, so here I am,” Blachowicz said. “We met in my category, now we can meet in his category.
“It was a great fight, amazing fight, amazing knockout,” he concluded. “He did a great job. I cannot imagine how he felt after he lost against Pereira so many times.”