Jan Blachowicz pens unapologetic retort at Aleksandar Rakic after pulling out of UFC 297
Jan Blachowicz was forced to withdraw from his UFC 297 bout against Aleksandar Rakic after suffering a shoulder injury during training camp. 'Rocket' shared the news on Thursday, expressing his frustration with the former UFC light heavyweight champion while also calling out Jiri Prochazka:
"You can never lose a rematch when you pull out for the second time. Legendary Bullshit. Let's see if the Samurai has the balls to step up on Jan 20th. @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite"
Check out Aleksandar Rakic's tweet regarding Jan Blachowicz's withdrawal:
The No.4-ranked light heavyweight responded by accusing his former opponent of crying:
"First he [Rakic] cries after I broke him, then he cries when I need to take care of my injury. Be happy that I will not break you this time, again. You can now go and continue to cry…"
Check out Jan Blachowicz's response to Aleksandar Rakic below:
The pair previously clashed at UFC on ESPN 36 in May 2022 with Blachowicz winning via third-round TKO after Rakic suffered a torn ACL and was unable to continue. The latter has not returned to the octagon since suffering the injury.
However, Rakic may have an opponent in Jiri Prochazka. 'Denisa' responded to the call out from 'Rocket' by sharing he would be available in February or March, leading the latter to accept his terms and propose a UFC 298 bout in February.
What did Jan Blachowicz say about his injury and withdrawal from UFC 297?
Jan Blachowicz suffered a shoulder injury that has forced him out of UFC 297 and will require surgery. The former UFC light heavyweight champion shared an update to his Instagram, stating:
"It wasn't supposed to be this way. It's hard to express how I feel because it’s a mixture of anger and sadness. Withdrawing from a fight due to injury is one of the most difficult decisions a fighter can make. However, sometimes there is no other option, especially when you are competing in the TOP 5 and want to put on a show at the highest possible level. Instead of fighting for the best shape, I fight with the pain during every training session."
He continued:
"I did everything I could, but my shoulders need surgery. In this state, continuing preparations and entering the Octagon would be irresponsible and stupid. I always say that when I go into a fight, I must be 100% ready. I owe it to myself, my coaches, my opponent and, above all, the fans. Thank you in advance for your support! I am waiting for the date of surgery, after which rehabilitation and return to training will follow. I promise I will come back stronger!"
Check out Jan Blachowicz's Instagram post below:
It is unclear how long the No.4-ranked light heavyweight will be sidelined by the injury. Blachowicz last competed at UFC 291 where he suffered a split decision loss to Alex Pereira.