Jan Blachowicz knew the UFC had big plans for Israel Adesanya if he became a champ-champ at UFC 259.
Entering the fight, Blachowicz said he would try to wrestle Adesanya early and stand with him late. However, the fight played out completely opposite as he stood and traded with Adesanya and in the championship rounds went to his wrestling to secure the win.
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“The game plan was to wrestle earlier but he was tricky,” Blachowicz said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I tried to take him down in the first or second round, and he escaped really fast. I just knew I had to wait a little longer, make him tired and put him on the ground, and keep the fight there. Better later than never.
“I’m happy because I won the fight, that is the most important thing,” Blachowicz later added. “Of course, if I knocked him out or submitted him it would’ve been a little bit better but I’m happy because it was a good fight. I tested my cardio also.”
When the fight went to the scorecards, Blachowicz was confident he did enough to get his hand raised. He ended up getting the decision by a convincing margin and spoiled Adesanya’s plans of becoming a champ-champ.
Not only did he hand Adesanya his first career loss, but he also ended the hope of some big fights for the UFC. Had Adesanya won, Jan Blachowicz knows the UFC would’ve tried to make the Jon Jones fight or have “The Last Stylebender” move up to heavyweight. For the light heavyweight champ, he is happy he ruined all those plans and tells the UFC to always have a Plan B when they put a big star against him.
“Yeah, I knew they had some plans with Adesanya, they would make the fight with Jon Jones if he beat me,” Blachowicz said. “But, And Still, and I destroyed those plans. The victory is a little bit better. The UFC will always need to have a Plan B when they have a big star fight me.
“I understand the business. I know he is one of the biggest stars in the UFC,” Blachowicz later added. “Maybe it would’ve been better for them but I don’t care. For me, it is better I won.”
Although he did hand Adesanya his first career loss, his team has been adamant about rematching Jan Blachowicz down the line. However, for the Pole, he would be open to a rematch as long as The Last Stylebender takes a fight against a top-10 light heavyweight first and proves he can win at this weight class.
“I understand him because he lost the fight and wants a rematch. He has also beaten everyone in his division. Maybe in the future, we do this,” Jan Blachowicz concluded. “First of all, when he comes back to 205, I think he needs to fight someone in the top-10 and beat them and maybe then we get the rematch.”
Do you think we see Jan Blachowicz vs Israel Adesanya 2 in the future?