"I feel like a national treasure right now in Poland" - Jan Blachowicz on how the public perception of him changed after he defeated Israel Adesanya
Jan Blachowicz has suggested that his recent performances, notably his win over Israel Adesanya, have turned him into a massive star in his native Poland.
In an interview with BT Sport, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion jested that he feels “like a national treasure right now in Poland.” Upon being asked whether he believes that he’s finally getting the respect he deserves after his big win over Israel Adesanya, Blachowicz stated:
“It was [quite incredible]; still is, you know. I’m happy, you know. Yeah, now people respect me; fighter respect me. Now, I’m true champion. I prove it not only to the world but also for myself, you know. And I’m happy a lot. I’ve got a lot of messages on my social media that I’m inspiration not only for the people but also for the fighters, you know... when I beat 'Izzy', I proved that I'm a true champion. In my neighborhood, everybody knows me... it’s nice, you know. I feel like a national treasure right now in Poland.”
You can watch Jan Blachowicz’s interview in the video below:
Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya have tough title defenses ahead of them
The super-fight between light heavyweight titleholder Jan Blachowicz and UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya took place at UFC 259 in March. The bout was contested at light heavyweight, with Blachowicz's belt on the line. The Pole defeated Adesanya via unanimous decision on the night.
The fight marked Adesanya's first, and thus far only, loss as a professional MMA fighter. Following an unsuccessful quest for two belts, the middleweight kingpin returned to his division.
Since starting his UFC run with a 2-4 record, Jan Blachowicz won 9 of his last 10 fights, became undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion and handed Israel Adesanya his first defeat.
Doubt him now 🤫 #UFC259 https://t.co/gzsP5uFUO7
Jan Blachowicz hasn't competed since UFC 259. Meanwhile, Adesanya notched another successful middleweight title defense. He beat Marvin Vettori via unanimous decision in a rematch at UFC 263 in June.
Blachowicz is set to defend his light heavyweight belt against Glover Teixeira at UFC 267 on October 30. Meanwhile, Adesanya is expected to defend his strap in a rematch against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 in February 2022.