Prochazka Don’t Want None! Blachowicz Awaits Now-Former Champ

Jan Blachowicz is on the cusp of becoming a two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight champion.

UFC 282 was shaken up just two weeks out from fight night this weekend (Sat., Dec. 10, 2022) when it was announced that champion, Jiri Prochazka, was forced out of the main event and vacating the title due to a bad shoulder injury. Therefore, the co-main event received a promotion, leading to Blachowicz once again fighting for a vacant title against Magomed Ankalaev.

Following his prior win over Aleksandar Rakic in May 2022, Blachowicz made it clear he wanted another crack at the title, but the promotion went with the Prochazka-Glover Teixeira rematch.

“I want to fight against Jiri,” Blachowicz said at UFC 282 media day (h/t MMA Fighting). “He don’t want to fight against me. He choose different fight, not me. So, I’m ready for him when he’s going to be healthy.”

Teixeira is expected to await the winner of Blachowicz versus Ankalaev now that he’s the odd man out. When the Brazilian former titlist first won the strap in Oct. 2021, the crowning moment came over Blachowicz.

In late 2020, Blachowicz helped kick off the post-Jon Jones era at 205 pounds, defeating Dominick Reyes for the vacant title via second round technical knockout (watch highlights). While having to become champion through vacant title circumstances isn’t ideal for Blachowicz, he’s still happy with the opportunities presented.

“It’s not my fault,” Blachowicz said. “I want to fight against Jon Jones, but he don’t want to fight against me. Nobody know what he’s doing right now. Also I wanted to fight against Jiri, but he wanted the rematch. Now it’s injury, so it’s not my fault. This is not what I choose, but it is what it is. It’s the championship. This is most important thing for me.”

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 282 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard (on ESPN2/ESPN+) at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

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