Morning Report: Jan Blachowicz willing to go to heavyweight to fight Jon Jones, also open to superfight with Francis Ngannou

Jan Blachowicz | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC If Jon Jones can’t get a superfight deal done for Francis Ngannou, there’s another UFC champion who is still itching to get in the cage with him: current light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
After Jones won a controversial decision over Dominick Reyes last year, the then-light heavyweight champion was weighing his options and though the UFC wanted to do an immediate rematch between Jones and Reyes, at one point Jones suggested he would next defend his title against Blachowicz. Ultimately, that fight never came to fruition, with Jones instead opting to vacate his title and move up to heavyweight. Instead, Blachowicz fought Reyes for the vacant belt, knocking out “The Devastator” in the second round and becoming the new light heavyweight champion. After successfully defending his title against middleweight champion Israel Adesanya last month, the man with the Legendary Polish Power is still ready if Jones wants to return to his old stomping grounds.
“Now I am the king of 205, but he can come back to 205,” Blachowicz told RT Sport. “I can meet him at 205 or at heavyweight, I don’t care. I’m just waiting for the next fight, for the next decision. If the UFC gives me Jon Jones I would be happy. If not, I will be happy about my next opponent. I think my next opponent will be Glover Teixeira but we will see. But if Jon Jones, I think he will stay at heavyweight, but if he changes his mind, I’m waiting for him. No problem.”
It’s easy to see why Blachowicz would be so keen on a fight with Jones. Aside from being a major star in the sport, Jones is also the most dominant UFC light heavyweight champion of all time and the manner in which he left the division has left many feeling the new champion is not “legitimate.” If Blachowicz were to defeat Jones, his credentials would be undeniable. Unfortunately, Blachowicz isn’t sure he’ll get that opportunity because the risk for Jones is much higher facing him than it is competing at heavyweight.
“I understand him,” Blachowicz said. “He (did) almost everything at 205. Almost everything because he did not fight against me, that’s why he did almost everything. I understand his decision because I think he knew if he was gonna fight against me, he was gonna lose this fight. So he did this decision, ‘Now I go to heavyweight. If I go to heavyweight, if I lose at heavyweight, no problem because I will start talking, okay that was not my weight.’ Then maybe he will come back to 205. We’ll see. But then he’s gonna meet me. I’m waiting for him. He promised me this fight after I knocked out Corey Anderson so I’m just waiting for him, but we’ll see.”
Though Jones initially hinted at returning to light heavyweight after Blachowicz won the title, in December Jones confirmed he has no intention of ever returning to the light heavyweight division. However, that may not put him out of Blachowicz’s reach. The current 205-pound champion says he’s happy to chase Jones up to heavyweight as well, if that’s what has to happen.
“Why not?” Blachowicz said. “I feel great, no injuries. I’ve still got fire inside me. I still enjoy the fights, I still like to do this. It’s not only my job it’s my passion, my hobby, something that I love to do. So yeah, when I finish my career it’s gonna be at heavyweight. I like to eat, I like food. I don’t like cutting weight but I have to do this right now. But in the end of my career I will finish my career at heavyweight. And i would like to just try to fight against the bigger guys.”
Or, if Jones is still stuck holding out in contract negotiations with the UFC, Blachowicz says he’s also willing to do what Jones has on the agenda - fight heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
“If UFC sends me, ‘You want to fight against Francis?’ why not?” Blachowicz concluded. “I don’t have time for don’t accept fight like this. If they want to make fight like this, I would accept it, no problem.
“...He’s got amazing power. He’s got power like Predator. He has great power but nobody has power like Legendary Polish Power.”
Blachowicz most recently won a unanimous decision over Adesanya at UFC 259. It is expected his next title defense will come against Teixeira later this year.

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[h=1]VIDEO STEW[/h]Between the Links.


Bellator 255 staredowns.


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[h=1]LISTEN UP[/h]Jack Slack. Talking about the return of Bellator tonight.

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[h=1]SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE[/h]Finger reaction.
Got us.
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[h=1]FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS[/h]Marvin Vettori (16-3-1) vs. Kevin Holland (21-6); UFC Vegas 23, Apr. 10.
Norma Dumont (5-1) vs. Erin Blanchfield (6-1); UFC Vegas 23, Apr. 10.
Jessica Penne (12-5) vs. Lupita Godinez (5-0); UFC Vegas 24, Apr. 17.
Poliana Botelho (8-3) vs. Luana Carolina (6-2); UFC Fight Night, May 1.
Logan Storley (11-1) vs. Killys Mota (12-2); Bellator 258, May 7.

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[h=1]FINAL THOUGHTS[/h]Thanks for reading, enjoy the fights tonight, and see y’all on Monday.

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[h=1]EXIT POLL[/h]

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