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Jan Błachowicz Embraces The Pressure To Perform
Fighting For The First Time In Nearly Two Years, Jan Błachowicz Expects To Deliver A Statement At UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady As He Hopes To Regain The Belt
It’s never ideal to watch other people do what you love while you’re forced to sit on the sidelines, especially for a former champion like Jan Błachowicz, who feels like he has plenty in the tank to get that belt wrapped back around his waist.
The fact that two familiar faces occupy the top spots in the division makes the timing of his return all the better, but that’s business for after the fight. First, Błachowicz understands, comes the business of defending his spot and reminding the rest of the division he is every bit the world-class fighter who ascended to the throne five years ago.
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“I feel pressure (to make a statement),” Błachowicz told UFC.com. “But, I know how to change this pressure for good energy, and I missed it. Almost two years, I don’t feel it, but now I feel it again, and I am happy. I believe that, when I change this kind of pressure, it will create power, and you are going to see it on Saturday.”
The Legendary Polish Power was dormant for the last couple of years as Błachowicz recovered from injuries and shoulder surgery. He admitted he felt “a little bit jealous” of his peers during the layoff, but he channeled that energy into studying his fellow combatants.
In a kind of lucky twist, Błachowicz’s last two opponents were Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira, the men who occupy the top two spots in the weight class. Błachowicz was arguably ahead of Ankalaev early in their last-second title fight at UFC 282 before Ankalaev gutted his way to a split draw result, and he pushed Pereira to the scorecards where the judges gave the split decision nod to the Brazilian.
Błachowicz feels like he has scores to settle, particularly his “unfinished business” with the current champion, but his sights are currently set on stopping the rise of the oncoming Carlos Ulberg at UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady in London.
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Ulberg is arguably the hottest fighter at 205 pounds right now. The City Kickboxing representative is currently on a seven-fight win streak, with five finishes along the way, including four knockouts in the first round. He most recently took Volkan Oezdemir to the scorecards, besting the former title challenger via unanimous decision. By all accounts, this matchup with Błachowicz is his meal ticket to the title picture, one Błachowicz hopes to keep him from punching.
“I just am thinking about how to stop (Ulberg),” Błachowicz said. “It’s time to stop him, and I’m going to be the one to stop his seven wins in a row. He made his debut when I was defending my belt. That’s a nice story, but it’s time to stop him and show him he needs to learn a little bit.”
It is, in fact, a sort of full-circle story for Ulberg, whose first UFC bout came against Kennedy Nzechukwu at UFC 259, when his teammate Israel Adesanya challenged Błachowicz for the light heavyweight title. Both Ulberg and Adesanya suffered their first professional losses that night, but it was a valuable lesson for Ulberg, who hasn’t lost since.
That night was also when Błachowicz last had a definitive victory. He would go on to lose his belt to Glover Teixeira, and his return bout against Aleksandar Rakić ended prematurely when Rakić suffered a knee injury in the third round. The bouts with Ankalaev and Pereira followed, which is to say Błachowicz is itching for a big win on March 22.
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The roller coaster that is mixed martial arts is not unfamiliar for the 42-year-old. This year marks 11 in the promotion, a tenure which started with a rocky 2-4 start. Błachowicz would turn things around in a big way, winning nine of his next 10 fights to cement himself as one of the best light heavyweights in the world.
That longevity and ability to weather rocky periods is a point of pride for Błachowicz as it should be for any fighter who turns things around to the degree he did.
“I’m just happy I’m part of the UFC, part of the history of this amazing organization,” he said. “I’m just happy because that was my dream, and I’m still here for so many years, and it’s not the end still, and I’m still on the top.”
When Błachowicz makes the walk to the Octagon in the O2 Arena, he fully knows what kind of energy to expect. He fought here once before in 2018, a rematch against Jimi Manuwa. That night, Błachowicz got his revenge on the man who bested him in his second UFC fight and earned a unanimous decision nod.
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Seven years later, Błachowicz expects to have the crowd behind him, citing the large Polish population in England. That support, plus his actual skills in the Octagon, have Błachowicz feeling quite confident heading into Saturday and he expects a vintage performance.
“I just see the end of this fight in my mind: KO in the third round,” he said. “Legendary Polish Power is obvious.”
UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady took place live from O2 Arena in London, England on March 22, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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