Oh, the drama in the MMA world never ceases, does it? Jan Blachowicz threw down the gauntlet on Twitter. “If you still feel the same about it @USMAN84kg, let’s go. I will be ready,” he posted. That tweet from May 25, 2024, has fans buzzing.
Now, onto Kamaru Usman. The man believes he’s got what it takes to step up to light heavyweight. Bold? Absolutely. At UFC 276, Usman, the then-welterweight champ, faced off with Jan Blachowicz. Despite a 35-pound difference, Usman didn’t seem outmatched in size. Blachowicz is a tad taller and has a bit more reach. Yet, Usman’s faced similar challenges before.
Usman’s not shy about his capabilities. He recently revisited his matchup with Blachowicz, noting their size similarity. Blachowicz packs a punch, but Usman’s confident in his style. He thinks he can outmaneuver Blachowicz, especially with his grappling.
“You see me. You see my arms next to his,” Usman said to Henry Cejudo on their “Pound 4 Pound Show.” He was all, “Yo!” about the size comparison. Usman’s strategy? Wear Blachowicz down with grappling, then dominate. “Fatigue makes cowards of us all,” he quipped, suggesting he’d make Blachowicz tire out just like Glover Teixeira did.
Blachowicz, not one to back down, responded to Usman’s challenge. “If you still feel the same about it [Kamaru Usman], let’s go. I will be ready,” he declared on social media. Talk about throwing down the gauntlet!
Blachowicz’s recent record? A bit rocky. He’s coming off a split decision loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 291 in July 2023. Since losing his title to Teixeira in 2021, he’s had a mixed bag of results. His only win post-title was against Aleksandar Rakic, thanks to a knee injury. A rematch was on the cards, but shoulder surgery sidelined Blachowicz.
Usman, meanwhile, is trying to bounce back. The former 170-pound king has faced defeat in his last three fights. Two title losses to Leon Edwards and a failed middleweight debut against Khamzat Chimaev. The road ahead? Challenging, for sure. But if anyone’s up for it, it’s Usman.