Jan Blachowicz is itching for a rematch with Alex Pereira. He’s thrown down the gauntlet since his return to the octagon.
Pereira, with a record of 10-2, narrowly edged out Blachowicz (29-10) in a split decision. This victory marked his successful entry into the light heavyweight division at UFC 291 in July 2023. Blachowicz, on the other hand, had to bow out of a scheduled fight against Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 297 this past January. Why? A shoulder injury that led him straight to surgery.
Fast forward a bit, and Pereira’s been making waves. He clinched the 205-pound title in a face-off with Jiri Prochazka. Not stopping there, he defended his second UFC title by knocking out Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 last month. Blachowicz, though, isn’t sold. He concedes Pereira is a formidable opponent, even better than Hill. But better than him? That’s where he draws the line.
Blachowicz is all in for a rematch. He’s convinced he outperformed Pereira in their first bout. Despite Pereira’s knack for knocking out his recent opponents, he couldn’t finish Blachowicz within the distance. The 41-year-old Polish fighter is eyeing a return by the year’s end, hopeful for a rematch.
“Pereira’s tough, no doubt. Better than Jamahal, sure. But not better than me,” Blachowicz stated in a chat with Fanatics View. “I see it clear as day—I won our first fight. The judges? They saw it differently. But me? I know I’ve earned another shot at him. He’s knocked out plenty, but not me. I’m aiming for a comeback, and when I do, it’s him I want to face. End of the year, that’s the plan. Not a moment sooner.”
The light heavyweight title scene? It’s as tangled as ever. Jiri Prochazka is on the hunt for a title shot after his stunning technical knockout victory over Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300. Magomed Ankalaev, fresh off a KO win over Johnny Walker and unbeaten since his UFC debut in 2018, is also throwing his hat in the ring. Meanwhile, Pereira’s got his sights set on Prochazka for the next title bout but finds himself in Jon Jones’ crosshairs for a heavyweight showdown.