Dana White confirms Israel Adesanya's next fight will be against UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz
According to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is all set to move up a weight class and face UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz.
Okamoto reports that UFC President Dana White met with Adesanya yesterday and came to the decision.
The former added that as revealed to him by White, Israel Adesanya’s next fight would be against the 205-pound division’s reigning titleholder Jan Blachowicz.
Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz are coming off highly impressive TKO victories
Israel Adesanya last competed in the main event of UFC 253 that transpired in September of this year.
Adesanya defended his UFC Middleweight belt at UFC 253 against archrival Paulo Costa, besting the latter via second-round TKO in an incredibly dominant performance.
On the other hand, Jan Blachowicz competed against Dominick Reyes for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
Jan Blachowicz vs. Dominick Reyes served as UFC 253’s co-main event and saw Blachowicz defeating Reyes via TKO in round two of their bout, thereby winning the UFC light heavyweight championship.
In the aftermath of their respective performances at UFC 253, both Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz have expressed their willingness to face one another in a fight that’ll be contested in the UFC light heavyweight division.
Adesanya has consistently asserted his desire to move up from middleweight to the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, seeking new challenges and pushing the envelope with regard to what he can accomplish as a Mixed Martial Artist.
Additionally, Adesanya has also emphasized that he’d like to eventually fight one of his biggest rivals Jon Jones, despite the latter having moved up to heavyweight after relinquishing his light heavyweight crown.
Jan Blachowicz, for his part, has noted that he’d have no qualms whatsoever to defend his UFC belt against Israel Adesanya and welcome him to the 205-pound weight class.
In light of these developments, the UFC has now seemingly chosen to book a champion vs. champion super-fight pitting Blachowicz and Adesanya against one another.
As noted, ESPN’s Brett Okamoto has put forth a report regarding the same. Okamoto took to Twitter and stated:
“Dana White tells me he met with Israel Adesanya yesterday and his next fight will definitely be a move up in weight to challenge Jan Blachowicz at light heavyweight.”
Which fighter do you believe would walk away victorious in a fight between Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz? Sound off in the comments.
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