A light heavyweight championship matchup between incumbent best, Jan Blachowicz and current middleweight kingpin, Israel ‘The Last Stylebender’ Adesanya finally has a date nailed down.
According to tonight’s report from ESPN MMA reporter, Brett Okamoto via UFC president, Dana White – Blachowicz is slated to attempt the first defence of his throne as he draws Adesanya at UFC 259 on March 6 — with a location or venue for the matchup still yet to be determined by the promotion.
Tonight’s announcement puts the brakes on recent big winner, Glover Teixeira‘s hopes for an immediate title shot following his third-round rear-naked choke win over compatriot, Thiago ‘Marreta’ Santos earlier this year.
Claiming the championship in the co-main event of UFC 253 in September, former KSW titleholder, Blachowicz met with UFC 247 challenger, Dominick ‘The Devastator’ Reyes for vacant gold, where he managed a second-round knockout in spectacular fashion.
Taking main event honours on that ‘Fight Island’ card was the aforenoted, Adesanya. Scoring the second successful defence of his middleweight reign, the City Kickboxing ace stopped top-contender, Paulo ‘The Eraser’ Costa also in the second-round after a masterful striking display.
Adesanya is set to remain king of the middleweights despite his move to 205-pounds in March coming, with reports recently suggesting the promotion may look to book former champion, Robert ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker and the aforementioned, Costa in a matchup in the early goings of 2021, with possible interim spoils up for grabs.
For Blachowicz, the knockout win over Reyes came as his fourth consecutive victory and second of 2020, following a rematch success over Corey Anderson at UFC Fight Night Rio Rancho in February. Prior to that, the Pole bested former world champions, Ronaldo Souza and Luke Rockhold, the latter via a highlight-reel knockout.
Nigerian-Kiwi superstar, Adesanya knocked back recent Bellator MMA signing, Yoel ‘Soldier of God’ Romero at UFC 248 in March of this year, in a rather forgettable unanimous decision win over five-rounds to score his first successful title defence.
