Newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz has set sights on a clash with former belt-holder Jon Jones after dispatching Dominick Reyes emphatically in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The giant Pole, 37, endorsed his recent rise through the promotion by stopping his rival in the second round of the co-main event at Flash Forum. He downed Reyes, 31, with a flurry of blows not long before the bell sounded.
Sealing his first UFC title, Blachowicz extended his winning streak to four, while moving to 8-1 in his past nine fights.
He’s now looking for a shot at Jones, who vacated the belt last month to move up to heavyweight. Many consider the American to be the greatest UFC athlete of all time.
“Right now we can talk about him because I didn’t want to talk about him before the fight because my opponent was Dominick,” Blachowicz said at the post-fight press conference. “Now I don’t have an opponent, so Jon Jones why not?
“Nobody knows what he’s doing right now, so we’ll see. He promised me this fight in [his hometown] Albuquerque after I knocked out Corey Anderson.”
With Jones still viewed as an unlikely next opponent, Blachowicz said he would be keen to avenge his most recent defeat: the February 2019 loss to Thiago Santos.
Blachowicz, whose record now stands at 27-8 (10-5 in UFC), proved too strong on Sunday for Reyes, who entered the contest as favourite but suffered the second defeat of his career.
“I still don’t believe, but it’s here,” Blachowicz said. “It’s not a dream right? It happened. I have the legendary Polish power; I proved it one more time. Amazing.
“It’s been a long journey for me. Sometimes I was on the top, then I lose a couple fights, but I never stop believing in my skills, in my power. Here I am, the champion. Like I said before, even a pandemic can’t stop me right now.
“I feel really great in the fight. I saw almost everything he did. In the second round when I broke his nose, I knew that the finish will be soon. I hope that [Jones] watched the fight and that he cuts his weight again and that we meet at 205 [lbs].”
UFC 253 opened “Return to Fight Island”, the second residency in Abu Dhabi. With four more events to come, it closes with UFC 254 on October 24.
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Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
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Results
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m | Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Al Shamkhah, Royston Ffrench, Sandeep Jadhav
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m | Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m | Winner: Kawasir, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m | Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m | Winner: Quartier Francais, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
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FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Brackets denote aggregate score
Tuesday:
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On the menu
First course
▶ Emirati sea bass tartare Yuzu and labneh mayo, avocado, green herbs, fermented tomato water
▶ The Tale of the Oyster Oyster tartare, Bahraini gum berry pickle
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▶ Local mackerel Sourdough crouton, baharat oil, red radish, zaatar mayo
▶ One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Quail, smoked freekeh, cinnamon cocoa
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▶ Lamb 2 ways Braised lamb, crispy lamb chop, bulgur, physalis
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▶ Lumi Black lemon ice cream, pistachio, pomegranate
▶ Black chocolate bar Dark chocolate, dates, caramel, camel milk ice cream
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