Jan Blachowicz Faces A Pivotal Moment In His Career At UFC 323

To understand how it got to this point, one must look back at the past.

For the longest time, Blachowicz had been considered good, but not good enough to be a champion. His situation was especially dire from April 2015 to April 2017, when he went 1-4 run with two losing streaks.

That perception changed in 2020. Jon Jones had vacated the belt after narrowly defeating Dominick Reyes, and a new king was needed. Blachowicz, then on a three-win streak, stepped up and finally got his moment, finishing “The Devastator” in the second round.

That would not be the apex, however. Blachowicz drew then-dominant middleweight champion Israel Adensanya for his first defense. Experts and oddsmakers pegged “The Last Stylebender” as the favorite given his superior striking, but Blachowicz would not be intimidated. He turned to his wrestling and grappling to stifle his lighter counterpart, ultimately taking a unanimous decision.

Next up was Glover Teixeira, who had once unsuccessfully challenged Jones and since become some sort of hybrid of contender and gatekeeper. Blachowicz did not fare as well against him, losing via second-round rear-naked choke. He did get another chance at the title in near the end of 2022, but went to a draw with Magomed Ankalaev.

Gatekeeping, Or Contending?

Blachowicz now finds himself in a precarious situation, having lost his last two fights. He was Alex Pereira’s welcoming committee at light heavyweight and dropped a split decision. Next was Carlos Ulberg, who also took a decision win.

One, however, can say that those two losses have aged very well. Pereira won the title in his very next fight. After knocking out an erstwhile-resurgent Dominick Reyes, Ulberg is certain to challenge “Poatan” next.

Bogdan Guskov presents a different situation, however. Since losing his short-notice debut, he has been on a tear, finishing four straight fights and receiving two bonuses. His last win was his biggest, as he stunned veteran Nikita Krylov with a first-round barrage to put himself just one spot shy of the Top 10.

If Blachowicz can hold off Guskov, he may be able to reposition himself as a contender even in his 40s. If he loses, however, then he is done as a threat, and a decline to permanent gatekeeper status is the only path for him.

End Of My Jan Blachowicz Rant

Blachowicz is one of the UFC’s most captivating figures. He clinched the title at a time when most fighters are entering a decline, and he even got a defense out of it. Since then, he has settled into some sort of limbo – one that could define this last stretch of his career.

December 2025 marks the end of the UFC’s deal with ESPN, as it prepares to transition into a groundbreaking era with CBS. It could also mark the end of some fighters’ careers, and one can only hope that Blachowicz’s is not one of them.