Aleksandar Rakic hopes Israel Adesanya becomes 205-pound champ – so he can dethrone him

Aleksandar Rakic sees Israel Adesanya as a good addition to the light heavyweight division.

UFC middleweight champion Adesanya will attempt to simultaneously hold titles in two weight divisions when he faces light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz in the main event of UFC 259 on March 6.

Considering Adesanya’s star power, Rakic (13-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) thinks it would be beneficial for him personally if the Kiwi can become the light heavyweight champion.

“For me, it’s a good thing,” Rakic told MMA Junkie. “If he becomes the champion and he’s a two-division champion, then he’s gonna need to face me and it’s not gonna be a good night for him. All his legacy and all his credit is gonna come to me.”

Rakic is scheduled to face former title challenger Thiago Santos on the same night, where he’ll look to cement himself as the next title challenger. However, Glover Teixeira is waiting in the wings and, while Rakic admits that Teixeira should have been next in line, he understands the UFC’s decision to give the title shot to Adesanya.

“Glover is an amazing fighter and he’s on a five-fight winning streak and for me, he deserves the title shot,” Rakic said. “But the UFC decides what they want and for the promotion and for the marketing, of course, it’s Adesanya and Blachowicz. It’s better to sell for the people and it’s gonna be very interesting to see Adesanya in the light heavyweight division because the weight class between middleweight and light heavyweight is huge.

“We have like nine kilos – from 84 kgs to 93 kgs. This is nine kilos in between and those nine kilos, you can feel the power. The light heavyweight division, we are strong, but we are also fast. I don’t want to say middleweights aren’t strong, but it’s gonna be very interesting.”

Despite Adesanya (20-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) opening as the betting favorite against Blachowicz, Rakic thinks the odds should be a lot closer. Either way, he’ll certainly have his eyes peeled on the night.

“Jan Blachowicz he’s a very tough guy and a very strong guy,” Rakic said. “I see this fight 50-50. It’s gonna be very interesting for me, and I’m gonna watch closely, first row, to see who’s gonna be my next opponent in the future.”