At least one person is happy it doesn’t appear a fight between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top heavyweight challenger Francis Ngannou will get made.
That would be Jan Blachowicz, who stands to become the next challenger for Jones’ 205-pound belt.
While Blachowicz (26-8 MMA, UFC) isn’t an ironclad lock the next title shot, he undoubtedly has made himself a case for a crack at the gold.
The 37-year old Poland native has won three straight fights, seven of his past eight, and has earned four “Performance of the Night” bonuses along the way. His most recent victory was a brutal first-round knockout of fellow contender Corey Anderson on Feb. 15.
With that in mind, Blachowicz is doing his best to get under Jones’ skin and make sure he gets the champ’s attention:
Jones’ other options at 205 pounds include a pair of recent close fights: Dominick Reyes, and Thiago Santos, both of whom lost to Jones via split decision.
But the fact Blachowicz is a fresh opponent seems to give him the edge over taking rematches, even if Jones doesn’t seem super-thrilled about the idea.
