"There's a game of chess here" - Chael Sonnen explains how Jan Blachowicz can screw Magomed Ankalaev out of a No.1 contender fight
Following Magomed Ankalaev's callout of Jan Blachowicz, Chael Sonnen detailed how the Pole can damage the Russian's chances of earning a potential No.1 contender clash.
The former light heavyweight champion is 6-1 in his last seven appearances in the octagon and hopes to be awarded another shot at the title with a win in his next outing. Last time out, Blachowicz beat rising prospect Aleksandar Rakic after the Austrian suffered an injury early in the third round.
Discussing the confusion at 205 pounds, Chael Sonnen explained how Jan Blachowicz could instead opt to face Jamahal Hill, another surging talent in the division.
"Out of nowhere, Ankalaev calls out Jan, so as soon as that happened, those two leave [the title picture]... Jamahal still called out Blachowicz... Jan needs to take on Jamahal, he's got to. What that will do, is it will screw Ankalaev. Whatever's next for Ankalaev is much less likely to be a No.1 contender's match, [so] Jan against Jamahal [will be]... There's a game of chess here... Jan has a chance right now, through the media, to stick it up Ankalaev's a**, who just stuck it up his."
To summarize, Sonnen is urging Blachowicz to ignore the callout from Ankalaev and instead chase a fight against Jamahal Hill. 'The American Gangster' announced this as an act of revenge for the Polish-man, as he claimed the 205 pound fighter was automatically removed from title contention following the Dagestani's callout.
Check out what Chael Sonnen had to say about the light heavyweight division in the video below:
What's next for Jan Blachowicz?
Regardless of the opponent, it seems likely that Jan Blachowicz's next fight inside the octagon will be for a shot at UFC gold, but who will he step in there against?
The light heavyweight division is as hot as ever right now, so the former champion should have no trouble finding a suitable opponent in his quest to regain the throne.
Realistically, both Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev need one more big win against a top five competitor before fighting for the title, meaning it will all depend on who Jan would prefer to step into the cage with.