Former light heavyweight champion set to return against top-10 ranked contender at UFC London
A former light heavyweight champion appears set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon at UFC London, where he'll take on a surging contender. It will be an excellent opportunity for both as an impressive win can propel the winner into the title picture.
UFC London is scheduled to take place at the O2 Arena in London, England on March 22 and is already shaping up to have a strong European presence. The event will mark the octagon return of former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, who takes on No. 7-ranked Carlos Ulberg.
The 41-year-old has been out of action for the entire year after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. He was initially scheduled to fight Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 297 this past January, but his shoulder surgery resulted in his withdrawal from the event
Blachowicz will be looking to earn his first win since 2022 as he is coming into the event following a split draw against Magomed Ankalaev and a split decision loss to Alex Pereira. Ulberg, on the other hand, has plenty of momentum and is riding an impressive six-fight winning streak that includes wins over the likes of Alonzo Menifield and former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir.
Check out the post announcing Jan Blachowicz vs. Carlos Ulberg for UFC London below:
UFC London marks Jan Blachowicz's first fight since July 2023
Jan Blachowicz will be in for a tough test when he competes for the first time since UFC 291, which took place in July 2023, where he lost a split decision to Alex Pereira.
Although he came up short on the judges' scorecards, it's important to note that the decision was viewed as being controversial. Blachowicz tested his standup against 'Poatan' early on but then used a wrestling-heavy approach and was successful in taking him down.
Despite securing takedowns, attempting submissions, and ending the fight with more ground control, the judges scored the bout 29-28, 29-2,8 and 28-29 in Pereira's favor. It was a significant bout as the win secured 'Poatan' a bout against Jiri Prochazka for the vacant light heavyweight championship months later.
Check out the official decision for Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira below: