Jan Blachowicz Wins UFC Light Heavyweight Match By TKO After Aleksandar Rakic Injured Knee In Round 3
Jan BlachowiczThe journey back to the UFC title got off to an odd start. But the former champion will definitely take it.
Blachowicz defeated Alexander Rakic via TKO at 1:11 of the third inning after Rakic injured his right knee. Blachowicz coordinated the landing and Rakic took a step back. When he bends his right leg, behind him, the knee seems to come out. Rakic came down immediately and the referee Mark Smith Step in to call the bout off.
Earlier in the week, Blachowicz described the UFC’s desire to regain the lightweight heavyweight belt by likening it to “Lord of the Rings” Gollum trying to get his precious ring back. In a tournament where victories don’t come easily, Blachowicz doesn’t feel too ashamed of this victory. And he performed very well when he took the lead in the finish line.
Blachowicz said in his post-match interview: “He was injured. “I can’t wait to step inside again with this kind of feeling, with this joy. And I hope the UFC gives me another title.”
This is Blachowicz’s first fight since dropping his light heavyweight belt Glover Teixeira through a second-round submission at UFC 267 last October. Next, ESPN has Blachowicz in 2nd and Rakic in 5th in the world in light heavyweight.
Blachowicz had a successful attack in the first half with a low kick to Rakic’s left calf. By the end of the round, Rakic had swelling and hematoma in many places in his calf. Rakic was taken down and got it in the second round, possibly because of how hurtful his lead game became.
“This is our secret weapon,” Blachowicz said. “In the gym, we always kick it. … I know he’s slowing down, slowing down, slowing down.”
Rakic opened a cut inside Blachowicz’s left eye in the first round with a nice jab and made a solid move on the ground in the second half. In the third round, Blachowicz performed very well with his feet, a successful combination of punches – left hooks and headers to the right – successful, plus kicks with his feet.
Blachowicz (28-9) had a five-win streak against Teixeira last year. Polish-born boxer knocks down Dominick Reyes won the UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 253 in September 2020 and then successfully defended against the middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 259 in March 2021. Blachowicz, 39, has won 10 of his past 12 fights.
Rakic (14-3) took the field a unanimous decision to win Thiago Santos at UFC 259 and won two in a row before Saturday. The Serbian-Austrian has won six of eight UFC fights overall. Rakic, 30, has been considered one of the top MMA prospects from Central Europe.
