Manager confirms dangerous fight for ex-UFC champ that's faced Ankalaev and Pereira

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 12:06 PM ET

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Top-ranked light heavyweight Bogdan Guskov is reportedly set to try and extend his finishing streak against one of the division’s former champions.

Already a veteran of 16 professional fights before he got the call to join the UFC, Guskov was submitted in his debut against former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir but has rebounded in impressive fashion by stopping four-straight opponents.

The 32-year-old now occupies the #10 spot in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. According to his manager, Guskov will get a big step up in his next outing against former 205 lbs. king Jan Blachowciz.

Bogdan Guskov's Manager Confirms Jan Blachowicz Matchup

Blachowciz made headlines yesterday with an Instagram story where he was signing a fight contract with a sword, teasing fans with the promise that he’d be competing twice in the same year for the first time since 2022.

There was immediate speculation online that Guskov could be Blachowciz’s next opponent based on the fact that many of the light heavyweight division’s top names are already booked, and today Guskov’s manager confirmed on Instagram that the pair have agreed to meet in the Octagon.

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Blachowicz Has History With Magomed Ankalaev & Alex Pereira

A former KSW champion that made his UFC debut all the way back in 2014, Blachowicz went 1-4 to start his UFC career before establishing himself as a serious force at light heavyweight with a four-fight win streak that included three post-fight bonuses.

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That run was halted by Thiago Santos in 2019, but the Polish standout rebounded with three-straight wins to set up a fight for the vacant light heavyweight title opposite Dominick Reyes at UFC 253. Blachowicz knocked out Reyes to claim the belt and handed Israel Adesanya his first MMA loss in a double-champ bid in 2021, but his reign ended later that year when he was submitted by Glover Teixeira at UFC 267.

The 42-year-old has a chance to reclaim his belt at UFC 282 but saw his matchup with current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Magomed Ankalaev end in a split draw, and Blachowicz now finds himself on a two-fight skid after losses to Alex Pereira and Carlos Ulberg.

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The Ulberg fight was Blachowicz’s first in well over a year, and the former champion will undoubtedly have his sights set on a rematch with either Ankalaev or Pereira if he’s able to snap his current losing run against a dangerous finisher in Guskov.