Jan Blachowicz – Page 5 – Syndication Server

Jan Blachowicz: UFC 291 bout against Alex Pereira will be like ‘personal rematch’ with Glover Teixeira

The co-main event of UFC 291 means a lot for Jan Blachowicz for a number of reasons, including a way to get back at an old foe.

SALT LAKE CITY – Former UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] may be fighting for gold once again, but first, he must get through another ex-champ in Alex Pereira.

In the co-feature of UFC 291, Blachowicz (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) welcomes former middleweight champ Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) to light heavyweight, in a key fight with title implications. The event takes place Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+

According to Blachowicz, the promotion said the winner of this fight will be next up for a title fight, which recently became vacated due to an injury to Jamahal Hill. While the stakes of the fight don’t necessarily add any extra pressure for Bachowicz, he will be looking at his opponent as a means for revenge against Glover Teixeira, who knocked him off the light heavyweight throne at UFC 267.

“A little bit, I treat this like my personal rematch with Glover,” Blachowicz told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 291 media day. “Completely different fighters, but they train together, they are friends, train in one gym, he’s his coach – and for me, that will be like personal rematch.”

There was an air of humor in Blachowicz’s response, as he sat at the dias wearing a newly-received jacket from UFC senior vice president of athlete health and performance Jeff Novitzky for achieving 50 clean USADA tests.

Since losing that bout by submission to Teixeira, Blachowicz bounced back into the win column seven months later by recording a TKO win against Aleksandar Rakic. That win placed him in a fight for the vacant title against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 282. However, a split draw result left the title without an owner.

Now, with another vacant title fight potentially right around the corner, Blachowicz knows he has a serious threat and a dangerous knockout artist on his hands in Pereira. As one who has faced a number of former middleweights moving up a weight class, Blachowicz believes that “Poatan’s” fight-finishing power will translate across divisions.

“Great fighter, great sportsman, knockout punch power – I watched almost all of his fights in MMA,” Blachowicz said. “Now we’ve got him in 205. When I hear him say he wanted to go to 205, I told my manager to send a message to UFC, ‘I want him,’ and we have him.

“… I want to check my stand up against him and try to knock him out. But if something goes wrong in stand up, I can use my wrestling and take him down, finish him on the ground. This is what I want to do: Win the fight.”

With a win over Pereiera, Blachowicz fully expects to be up for the vacant title, and believes he will be up against a former title holder who also had to vacate due to injury.

“UFC tell me that after this fight, next fight will be for the title, so nothing changed,” Blachowicz said. “Jamahal Hill left the belt – I wish him (very well). But my next opponent will be maybe (Jiri) Prochazka, and we will fight for the title.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

Video: ‘UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2’ media day interviews

Before UFC 291 on Saturday, the main card and prelim fighters are scheduled to speak to reporters at media day.

SALT LAKE CITY – The UFC 291, which takes place at Delta Center with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+, goes down Saturday.

Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes from the main card and preliminary spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

UFC 291 ‘Embedded,’ No. 3: Shopping with Jan Blachowicz and Bobby Green in SLC

Jan Blachowicz and Bobby Green have very different tastes in style, as seen in the latest episode of UFC 291 “Embedded.”

The “Embedded” fight-week video series is back to document what’s happening behind the scenes at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City.

The UFC is back with its ninth pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 291 takes place Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

In the main event, the “BMF” title is on the line between former interim lightweight champions [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) and [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), who fight in a rematch. Poirier won their first meeting in 2018 with a fourth-round TKO.

In the co-feature, former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) takes on ex-middleweight champ [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who is moving up to 205 pounds after he lost the 185-pound belt earlier this year.

In addition, [autotag]Michel Pereira[/autotag] (28-11 MMA, 6-2 UFC) takes on [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC), [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] (25-8 MMA, 15-6 UFC) meets [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] (29-14-1 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC), and [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) fights [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag] (24-9 MMA, 11-6 UFC) on the main card.

The third episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Kevin Holland trains with an Ultimate Fighter. Jan Blachowicz and Bobby Green shop for SLC souvenirs. Alex Pereira, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje push hard. Stephen Thompson takes in Pioneer Day.

Also see:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

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Daniel Cormier explains how Alex Pereira’s extra size could be beneficial in UFC 291 fight vs. Jan Blachowicz

Daniel Cormier believes Alex Pereira’s new weight class could help him with an important aspect of his game at UFC 291.

UFC Hall of Famer [autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] believes [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]’s new weight class could help him with an important aspect of his game.

Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will make his light heavyweight debut against former champion [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 291 co-main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

Blachowicz handed UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya his first and still only loss when he nullified his kickboxing and took him down three times en route to a unanimous decision win at UFC 259 in 2021. Cormier expects Blachowicz to employ a similar strategy against Pereira, except he thinks “Poatan” will be a lot heavier in the octagon than what Adesanya was.

“When Israel Adesanya fought against Jan Blachowicz, because we all look for common factors and common denominators, Izzy got taken down by Jan, and that’s why he lost the fight,” Cormier said on his ESPN show “DC & RC.” “Izzy weighed 197 pounds when he walked into the octagon to fight Jan Blachowicz. Pereira will be big. He will be heavy. I bet he weighs about 220 when he goes into the octagon, so you would imagine that extra size will help him with the takedown defense.”

But Cormier said Pereira will also be dealing with more size than he’s accustomed to, which could be challenging for him.

“With Jan Blachowicz, you know that he possesses knockout power, and he also possesses the ability to take you down and grind you out,” Cormier continued. “He’s so heavy from the top that he can really wear on Alex Pereira. For as much as Pereira has done in a short period of time, he’s not had to deal with a bigger, stronger grappler. Am I saying he’s not ready to do that? No.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

UFC 291 pre-event facts: Dustin Poirier brings flawless rematch record to ‘BMF’ title fight

The best facts about UFC 291, which includes the historic resumes of Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Tony Ferguson, Derrick Lewis, and more.

The UFC returns to Salt Lake City on Saturday for the third time in company history with a loaded UFC 291 event, which takes place at Delta Center with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.

The main event will see the reintroduction of the “BMF” title, with former interim UFC lightweight champs [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (29-7 MMA, 21-6 UFC) and [autotag]Justin Gaethje[/autotag] (24-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) set to meet in a rematch of their 2018 Fight of the Year, which Poirier won by fourth-round TKO.

In addition to the pair of fan favorites colliding in the headliner, a number of notables are slated for the rest of the lineup. For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 291.

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UFC 291 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2: Jan Blachowicz feels like ‘a true American’ at the rodeo

In this episode of UFC 291 “Embedded,” Jan Blachowicz cowboys up for the first time and loves it.

The “Embedded” fight-week video series is back to document what’s happening behind the scenes at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City.

The UFC is back with its ninth pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 291 takes place Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

The second episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Dustin Porier does a grocery run. Stephen Thompson soaks away a tough workout. Kevin Holland stays sharp in Texas. Glover Teixeira grills for Alex Pereira. Jan Blachowicz cowboys up; Tony Ferguson trains as only he can.

Also see:

UFC 291 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: Michel Pereira leads U.S. soldiers in training

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

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UFC free fight: Jan Blachowicz spoils Luke Rockhold’s move to light heavyweight

Ahead of the UFC 291 co-main event, watch Jan Blachowicz brutally knock out Luke Rockhold to spoil his move to light heavyweight in 2019.

Luke Rockhold had a rough welcome to the light heavyweight division courtesy of [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag].

At UFC 239 in July 2019, Rockhold moved up to 205 pounds in hopes of a new start to his career. He was coming off a knockout loss to Yoel Romero in an interim middleweight title fight. But things didn’t go as planned for the former 185-pound titleholder. Blachowicz knocked him out in brutal fashion in the second round with a convincing finish that sparked Blachowicz’s best UFC run, which eventually led him to the light heavyweight belt.

You can watch Blachowicz’s brutal finish in the video above.

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Blachowicz returns to the cage Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 291 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. He welcomes former middleweight champion Alex Pereira to the light heavyweight division.

Blachowicz is coming off a draw against Magomed Ankalaev in a title fight for the vacant light heavyweight title in December 2022. Prior to that, Blachowicz had a TKO win over Aleksandar Rakic in his first fight after he lost the title to Glover Teixeira.

Pereira is coming off a knockout loss to Israel Adesanya in which he lost the middleweight title. The defeat snapped a seven-fight winning streak, which included a TKO win over Adesanya to claim the belt in November 2022.

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UFC 291 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: Michel Pereira leads U.S. soldiers in training

Michel Pereira goes on an intense workout at altitude with a group of soldiers from the U.S. Army in this first episode of UFC 291 “Embedded.”

The “Embedded” fight-week video series is back to document what’s happening behind the scenes at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City.

The UFC is back with its ninth pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 291 takes place Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

The first episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje prepare to rematch with the BMF belt on the line. Stephen Thompson straps up and Michel Pereira trains with soldiers. Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira both want to reclaim gold, one of them in a new division. Don’t miss UFC 291 on Saturday, July 29.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

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Video: UFC 291 ‘Countdown’ for Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira

Did you miss the debut of UFC 291 “Countdown” or just want to watch it again? Check out the co-main event preview now.

The segment takes a special look at the light heavyweight bout between former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) and ex-middleweight champ [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who is moving up to 205 pounds.

UFC 291 takes place Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

“Countdown” goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don’t miss the entire episode in the video below.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.

If not Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill eyes winner of Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira

UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill sees two options for his first title defense.

LAS VEGAS – UFC light heavyweight champion [autotag]Jamahal Hill[/autotag] sees two options for his first title defense.

Hill (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) captured the vacant heavyweight belt at UFC 283 in January when he battered Glover Teixeira for five rounds. His next assignment was already set; former champion [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who vacated his belt after suffering a severe shoulder injury which required surgery.

Growing tired of waiting, Hill previously claimed that it’s the next man up if Prochazka isn’t ready to go soon. That next man up however will not be Magomed Ankalaev. Instead, Hill has his eyes on the winner of [autotag]Jan Blachowicz[/autotag] (29-9-1 MMA, 12-6 UFC) vs. [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), which takes place in the UFC 291 co-headliner on July 29 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

“In my personal opinion, (Ankalaev) hasn’t earned the shot – just like Jan has to go out and get another shot, and get another win because it ended in a draw,” Hill told MMA Junkie Radio on Radio Row at UFC X during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.

“A lot of people feel Jan won that fight. Some people feel Magomed. Just because a lot of people feel that Magomed won the fight doesn’t mean he deserves a title shot. He’s in the same position that Jan is in. He needs to win another fight.”

Although he has no date or opponent finalized, Hill definitely expects to compete before the end of the year.

“One hundred percent, I expect to fight again this year,” Hill said. “I would have liked to have already fought again and been looking out to fight in another fight, but I definitely, 100 percent expect to fight before the end of this year.”

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