Jan Blachowicz predicts second-round knockout over Jacare Souza at UFC on ESPN+ 22

When Jan Blachowicz knocked out former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, he thought he had done enough to earn a light heavyweight title shot.

Instead, he draws another former 185-pounder in Ronaldo Souza, as he heads to enemy territory to headline UFC on ESPN+ 22 in Sao Paulo.

Jones last fought on the same card as Blachowicz, UFC 239 in July, where he successfully defended his title in a split decision against Thiago Santos, but until now, he hasn’t made his mind up on who he’d like to face next.

But Blachowicz (24-8 MMA, 7-4 UFC) is fully focused on the task at hand, as he knows that if he wants to get closer to a title shot, he has a job to do on Nov. 16.

“I think nobody knows what he wants to do right now,” Blachowicz told MMA Junkie on Jones. “Maybe he have different class, I don’t know, maybe he wants to fight against DC (Cormier) or (Stipe) Miocic in heavyweight, I don’t know. I don’t think about this, I focus right now on Jacare, my fight and after that I will try and catch the belt. I have to win against Jacare.”

Jiu-jitsu specialist “Jacare” is known for his incredible ground game, and has finished the majority of his fights by the way of submission. He has also proven his ability to take people out on the feet, making him a very dangerous opponent. However, Blachowicz is not afraid to go to the ground with Souza if he has to, but admits he’d rather keep the fight on the feet.

In fact, he envisions a specific outcome on fight night.

“I see that I finish him in the second round,” Blachowicz said. “Right hand. Right hook, this is what I see.”

“I keep fighting stand up but we’ll see what Jacare is going to do,” Blachowicz added. “I think he’ll just use his boxing, to try to take me down and finish the fight on the ground and I’m going to be ready for that of course. I’m also going to be ready in the stand up game because he also does that in the fight so I have to be ready for everything. I will try and keep the fight in stand up, but also, I believe I have good jiu-jitsu so if we go to the ground, I will be prepared also.”

Blachowicz is no stranger to playing spoiler. He took out Ilir Latifi in his hometown in his UFC debut, and defeated Jimi Manuwa in London in 2018, in a fight of the night effort.

So he has no issues in taking on Souza in his opponent’s home territory.

“He’s a legend in this sport,” Blachowicz said. “It’s a pleasure for me to fight against him and Brazil, I’ve never been to Brazil – I was in Brazil two weeks ago but only for two days so it’s a good opportunity to visit another country with a fight like Jacare. I’m really excited.”

“It’s going to be a crazy night, we’ll see what’s going to happen but when I step into the octagon, I just focus on my opponent, just listen to my corner, and that’s it. I don’t care about the crowd, they’re going to support Jacare of course and it’s ok, it’s no problem for me.”

And if a win over Souza doesn’t earn Blachowicz, who’s won five of his last six, a title shot, he’s not sure what else he’ll have to do.

“I feel after the fight, of course I’m going to win, the next one is going to be for title,” Blachowicz said. “I don’t know what I’m going to have to do more to prove that I deserve the title shot after I beat Jacare.”