Jan Blachowicz believes he deserves a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title before recent contenders like Dominick Reyes and Thiago Santos get another chance.

“Everyone is trying to make his way to the belt, but these guys already had a chance and they didn’t take it,” he said of his rivals in an interview with Polish MMA site MMARocks.pl (via MMA Junkie). “Now they can rest some, or they can fight between the two of them. I am the next in line, and nobody can get in line in front of me. They can just fight to see who’s going to be fighting me next, when I’m defending the belt (or) if anything happens and they take the belt from Jon [Jones].”

As Blachowicz suggests, there’s a chance the UFC may move to strip the title from the reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

Jones was recently arrested for a driving while impaired, and while he avoided jail time, the UFC may elect to remove him from the throne.

Blachowicz says he’s happy to fight for the vacant title or an interim belt in that event, and imagines he’d most likely be paired up with Reyes, who recently lost a razor close decision to Jones.

“Personally, I would prefer to fight him next for the belt, but fighting for the belt itself is the most important thing,” he said. “If they take away the belt (from Jones), or if the UFC decides to make an interim belt, I think in that situation I’d be fighting Reyes next, and then the rematch with Thiago Santos. Of course, that’s only if Jones is out of the championship race.”

Who do you want to see Jan Blachowicz fight next? Do you think the UFC will end up stripping Jones?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 4/1/2020.