Athletes
Jan Błachowicz | Still Crazy After All These Years
Polish Veteran Talks Desire To Still Compete, Navajo Stirling Matchup In Belgrade
Jan Błachowicz is the second oldest fighter on the UFC roster, clocking in 13 days younger than fellow 43-year-old Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. But at an age when most of his contemporaries have already left their gloves in the center of the Octagon and moved on to the next phase in their lives, the Polish veteran remains a fixture in the top 15 of the light heavyweight division he once ruled.
A couple of weeks ago, Błachowicz posted a picture on his Instagram account of himself sitting, a wooden dip pen in hand and an inkwell at the ready, signing a new UFC contract. The caption reads:
Every signature tells a story. I’ve just signed another new chapter with the UFC. Am I crazy? YES! But I just can’t get enough.
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“I don’t know; I just love to do it,” Błachowicz said when asked about the image. “I don’t think about this. I don’t have to do it —I can quit right now, no problem, but what to do next? I’m gonna miss it, so if my body is okay, if my mind is okay, I’m gonna do it because when my body says, ‘Stop!’ I’m gonna miss this.”
While he’s been slowed by injuries in recent years, the former light heavyweight champion has remained competitive against the best the division has to offer into his 40s, even if the results haven’t necessarily reflected that.
Where some will see a four-fight stretch without a victory, draws against Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov flanking decision losses to Alex Pereira and Carlos Ulberg, those that watched the fights and understand the context know that three of those four men have sat atop the division and that Błachowicz fought both Pereira and Ulberg closer than anyone else in the division to that point in their respective careers.
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Saturday’s bout at Belgrade Arena was originally supposed to be a rematch with Guskov, whom he battled to a majority draw last December at UFC 323 in Las Vegas, only for the Uzbek finisher to hustle into a headlining assignment with Ankalaev last weekend in Abu Dhabi when Khalil Rountree Jr. was forced out of the matchup. Błachowicz was the UFC’s first call when the vacancy came up, but the Polish standout declined, only to realize he got his dates screwed up and could have accepted the opportunity to face his former foe.
“I (messed up) the date,” he said with a laugh. “I (thought) I was gonna have one week to cut the weight and I said, ‘It’s not possible,’ and after I said it’s gonna be hard, the signed contract with Bogdan. After a couple hours, I said, ‘F*** — it’s not one week, it’s two weeks; I can take this fight!’ but it was too late.
“My mistake, but it is what it is,” added Błachowicz, who still has unfinished business with both Ankalaev and Guskov. “I’ve got a fight still here in Serbia, so I’m happy and ready.”
Jan Błachowicz: 'It's Just Another Fighter I Have To Stop' | UFC Belgrade
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Jan Błachowicz: 'It's Just Another Fighter I Have To Stop' | UFC Belgrade
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When Guskov jumped to last weekend’s fight card, Navajo Stirling raised his hand to fill the void opposite Błachowicz, looking to build on the momentum he has already amassed this year and take a huge step forward in the light heavyweight division.
After posting three straight decision wins in his first year on the roster following a contract-winning turn on Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Stirling has upped the ante in 2026, posting consecutive second-round stoppage wins over Bruno Lopes and Ion Cutelaba to push his overall record to 10-0 and force his way into the top 15.
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“Lot of respect for him because he’s a young, hungry guy,” Błachowicz said of Stirling, who is 15 years his junior, more or less. “I have to be ready for him. We do small changes, but not too much because there is not time for that, but also, he prefers fighting standup, so nothing big changes,” Błachowicz said. “He’s young, strong guy; good kickboxer. I’ve fought against guys like him, fought a guy from his gym, so I think I’m gonna know his style.”
Błachowicz turned back the challenge from longtime City Kickboxing ace and two-time middleweight champ Israel Adesanya in his only successful title defense at UFC 259, denying “The Last Stylebender” the opportunity to become a two-division champion.
“He’s younger than me, so maybe he will be a little faster than me, maybe stronger, I don’t know; I have to feel it in the fight, but for sure, experience is on my side, and I have to use it.”
The passion is still clearly there for Błachowicz, who is buoyed by the excitement of sharing these experiences and passing down his love of sport to his son, who often asks to watch old fights rather than cartoons and has begun his own martial arts journey.
“I want to show him that if I can, he also can,” Błachowicz said. “Old man can go to the gym and train, so he’s looking at me, and maybe he’ll also like to go somewhere. Maybe not the gym, but to a judo class, go play some football, something like this. Sport is very important in life; this is what I want him to see and to (teach) him.”
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Plus, despite the lack of success in recent outings, “The Old Man” still has it, so why stop now?
“I’m happy,” Błachowicz said. “Still in the top 15, still got it, still a fire inside me, so why stop now? Let’s go! Let’s do it a couple more times!”
Despite his unwavering passion and desire to simply compete, Błachowicz heads into the weekend craving a return to the win column and to experience the feeling of walking out of the Octagon triumphant once more.
“I need this win so much; no (judges) please,” he said with a laugh. “I need to finish this fight before time (is up). I need it, I want it, but I know…”
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Blachowicz extends both palms to the camera and eases them forward simultaneously, signaling the need to slow down and not allow his desires to become too weighty.
“Sometimes this pressure can stop you, so I don’t want to put this pressure too much on me.”
UFC Fight Night: Medić vs Rodriguez took place live from Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia on August 1, 2026. 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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