Jan Blachowicz is focusing on his upcoming fight with Alex Pereira, as a win promises a shot at the light heavyweight title, and his ideal scenario is to face Jiri Prochazka in a fight held in Europe, potentially breaking attendance records due to their shared Eastern European heritage.
Jan Blachowicz, an MMA fighter, is indifferent about his opponent for the light heavyweight title post UFC 291, but he does look at a particular scenario with preference. He eagerly anticipates a win over Alex Pereira in the co-main event, which he believes will secure him a chance to compete for gold, especially with a vacant title existing in the division. Blachowicz’s dream competitor remains Jiri Prochazka, and he wishes that the UFC would arrange this fight in Europe. He is convinced of a potential record-breaking attendance with him being from Poland, Prochazka from the neighboring Czech Republic, and a prized UFC title in the equation.
Blachowicz emphasizes the need for staging the fight in Europe, possibly Poland, “It’s going to be the biggest fight in Europe’s history,” he predicts. Anticipating a spectacular spectacle, Blachowicz jokes about a “huge show” in Warsaw’s national stadium, filled with fans not just supporting him but also Prochazka, given the proximity of the Czech Republic. This event could, according to him, draw around sixty thousand people, but all these dreams first require him to win against Pereira.
Becoming champion is Blachowicz’s ultimate goal, but he continually circles back to the immediate task at hand – his fight with Pereira. Eager as he is about a potential title shot, Blachowicz guards against the mistake many fighters make, ignoring the present for the future. The promise of a title shot, if he emerges victorious at UFC 291, is a notion not lost on him. “I’m fighting, and if I win, I’m going to have a title shot,” says Blachowicz; aware that nothing matters if he fails to prevail on July 29.
Blachowicz was initially set to fight Jamahal Hill, the then-champion, and everything indicated a subsequent fight between Hill and Prochazka by the year end. Blachowicz’s plans, however, were disrupted when Hill had to relinquish the light heavyweight title due to an Achilles’ tendon rupture. Yet, whether competing for a vacant title or against the winner of Hill vs. Prochazka, his focus remains uncompromised – his fight with Pereira. The aspiration for the fight with Pereira, he clarifies, is irrespective of the changing dynamics, stating, “I wanted Alex Pereira…I know when I beat him, my next fight is for the title. That’s why.” He concludes playfully that while the other contenders might be contemplating vacations, he’s set on winning the fight and then going on his holiday. “I’m 40 so I don’t have time to rest,” he asserts resolutely, “I need to do the fight, take the title shot, [and] take the belt back to Poland.”