At UFC 239, Jan Blachowicz, known for his “Polish Power,” made a strong statement in the light heavyweight division.
After a close fight with Alex Pereira at UFC 291, Blachowicz has been near the top of the light heavyweight contenders.
The former champion is scheduled to fight again on March 22, aiming to disrupt potential rematch plans between Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev after their UFC 313 fight.
Blachowicz has a history of making impactful performances. In 2019, he started a four-fight winning streak that led him to the light heavyweight championship.
Former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold was not in top form when they fought, having previously lost his title to Michael Bisping. However, many believed Rockhold still had potential.
Blachowicz’s Devastating ‘Polish Power’ Knockout
Following knockout losses to Bisping and Yoel Romero, Luke Rockhold decided to move to the light heavyweight division.
For his debut at 205 pounds, Rockhold faced Jan Blachowicz, who was ranked #6 and had recently lost a title eliminator fight to Thiago Santos in 2019.
The stage was set for Blachowicz to achieve a significant victory on the same night Jon Jones defended his light heavyweight title against Santos at UFC 239 in Las Vegas.
Despite being the favorite, Rockhold had limited success in the first round, mainly using kicks and clinches that didn’t significantly affect Blachowicz.
Rockhold seemed unsteady at the end of the first round when Blachowicz landed a kick just as the bell rang.
Blachowicz had already shown his striking danger in close quarters, and at 1:39 of the second round, he took advantage.
It had been noted, especially after his loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 299, that Rockhold often leaves his chin exposed. This made him an easy target for Blachowicz’s left hook.
Several follow-up strikes ended the fight decisively. Rockhold appeared disoriented when the referee stopped the fight.
Rockhold later returned to middleweight to fight Paulo Costa in 2022 before joining the GFL earlier this year.
Blachowicz went on to win two more fights before defeating Dominick Reyes to win the vacant title at UFC 253. He then defended the title against Israel Adesanya before losing it to Glover Teixeira in 2021.
Jan Blachowicz Could Shake Up UFC London on March 22
Jan Blachowicz has expressed interest in a rematch with Alex Pereira, but he also has unresolved issues with the current champion, Magomed Ankalaev.
They fought to a draw at UFC 282. While a rematch between Ankalaev and Pereira seems likely, Blachowicz remains a key player.
Having not fought since his loss to Pereira at UFC 291, a victory against Carlos Ulberg at the O2 Arena in London this Saturday would put him back in title contention.
If Blachowicz’s “Polish Power” is on display on March 22, the light heavyweight title picture could become very interesting.
