Jan Blachowicz plans to steal Alex Pereira’s title rematch with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Battle Night time 255

Jan Blachowicz is urging the UFC brass to not pencil in Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2 as the subsequent mild heavyweight title combat till after UFC Fight Night 255.

Former 205-pound champion Blachowicz (29-10-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) returns from a career-long layoff in Saturday’s co-main occasion when he takes on surging contender Carlos Ulberg at The O2 in London (ESPN+) in a combat with vital implications on the higher tier of the load class.

There was a strong likelihood the winner can be on the entrance of the road for a title shot till the panorama of the load class shifted earlier this month when Ankalaev took the belt from Pereira at UFC 313. All indicators level to a direct rematch, with UFC CEO Dana White stating it would “probably” happen next, whereas Ankalaev referred to as for it as recently at Tuesday morning.

Blachowicz has rematch needs of his personal, nonetheless. After combating Ankalaev to a split draw in a vacant championship bout at UFC 282 in December 2022, he intends to vary the narrative along with his efficiency.

“I’ll make every little thing to vary this on Saturday. After my win in opposition to Ulberg, I’m going to vary this and I imagine after I beat Carlos and I’m going to be subsequent contender for the title.”

Though Blachowicz hasn’t seen motion since July 2023, and spent a lot of his hiatus recovering from a career-threatening shoulder surgical procedure, he stated he’s feeling wholesome and assured he’ll choose up proper the place he left off.

Blachowicz, 42, thinks Ulberg (10-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is matchup suited effectively for him to return to, as effectively. The Metropolis Kickboxing fighter is using a seven-fight successful streak within the division and is trying to take his profession to the subsequent stage.

The scenario reminds Blachowicz of when he confronted the then-undefeated Israel Adesanya in March 2021 and handed him his first MMA loss. Ulberg comes from the identical group, and Blachowicz expects the identical end result.

“We do an amazing job with my group,” Blachowicz stated. “Each fighter and each combat is somewhat bit completely different, so I’ve to be prepared for a very completely different fighter than Adesanya. However I believe we’ve bought a plan for him and it’s going to be plan. We’ve bought plan, however I additionally know learn how to really feel the second and go in there and combat.

“I imagine in that, I’ll do every little thing I can to knock him out.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC Fight Night 255.