Former light heavyweight champion Jan
Blachowicz is expected to compete for the first time since
losing the belt when he faces Aleksandar
Rakic in the main event of an Ultimate Fighting Championship
card on March 26.
The proposed 205-pound booking was first
reported by Ariel Helwani, but the bout has not been finalized
at this point in time. The event does not yet have an official
location or venue.
Blachowicz saw a five-bout winning streak come to an end at UFC
267, when he relinquished the light heavyweight crown to Glover
Teixeira in a second-round submission defeat. The 38-year-old
Pole claimed the vacant strap with a second-round stoppage of
Dominick
Reyes at UFC 253 before outpointing middleweight king Israel
Adesanya in his lone title defense at UFC 259. Blachowicz has
won nine of his last 11 UFC appearances dating back to October
2017.
Rakic, meanwhile, has been victorious in six of seven outings
within the Las Vegas-based promotion. The 29-year-old Austrian
rebounded from a split-decision loss to Volkan
Oezdemir at UFC Fight Night 165 to earn unanimous verdicts over
Anthony
Smith and Thiago
Santos in his last two Octagon appearances.