Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture
  3. News

Who is Jan Blachowicz and Why You Should Watch Him at UFC 267

By
Jan Blachowicz in a boxing stance.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On Saturday, the UFC’s top two light heavyweight fighters (and two MMA icons in their own right) are stepping into the Octagon at UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. There, reigning champion Jan Blachowicz will defend his title against challenger Glover Teixeira. This clash of titans airs exclusively on ESPN+, so now’s the time to sign up so you can watch UFC 267 live. Then read on to learn more about the defending champion, Jan Blachowicz.

Sign up for ESPN+ now and watch UFC 267 at no added cost
ESPN+ customers can watch UFC 267 at no added cost, and those who sign up for a one-year subscription today will also get a hefty discount on the UFC 268 PPV. After handing over $70 for an annual ESPN+ subscription, the UFC 268 PPV would usually set you back $70. However, ESPN+ is offering the two for only $90.
Buy at ESPN+
UFC Pay Per View
Recommended Videos

Jan Blachowicz grew up in Cieszyn, Poland, and is one of the most famous Polish fighters in all of MMA. He’s the second Polish fighter to hold a UFC championship (former UFC women’s strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk is the first), a distinction he won in September 2020 at UFC 253 where he knocked out Dominick Reyes in round two to claim the vacant title.

Having trained in martial arts since the age of nine, Blachowicz entered the world of MMA through Polish BJJ championships (of which he won three between 2005 and 2007) and then Muay Thai tournaments (also claiming another three first-place championship finishes from 2006 to 2008). From 2007 to 2010, Blachowicz competed in the Polish MMA league Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki, claiming three tournament wins yet again despite suffering a gruesome training injury that required a complete reconstruction of his knee along with a year and a half hiatus from the sport.

Related Content

Upon his return to the KSW, Blachowicz had to face two opponents in the same night. He knocked out the first and submitted the second. He then won, lost, reclaimed, and successfully defended the KSW Light Heavyweight Championship. In 2014, it was clearly time for Blachowicz to move up, and he signed a contract with the world’s biggest MMA league — the Ultimate Fighting Championship — in January of that year. He made his debut in October.

The Pole scored a knockout victory in his first fight in the UFC but had a rocky run after that. Between 2015 and 2017, Blachowicz lost four of his five fights, but almost exactly two years after his first UFC match, he seemed to hit his stride. From October 2017 through March 2021, Blachowicz won nine of his 10 matchups, his most recent victory being a notable unanimous decision victory over the formerly undefeated middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (who had moved up in weight to challenge for the light heavyweight belt). The light heavyweight champ’s current professional record stands at 28 wins and eight losses.

Will Blachowicz defend his title and cement his status as the MMA world’s top light heavyweight? Or will Teixeira score an upset to become the UFC’s oldest champion? You’ll need to watch UFC 267 online live to find out, and for that, you’ll need to sign up for ESPN+ and grab the PPV. The good news is that the UFC 267 pay-per-view is available to all ESPN+ subscribers at no extra cost, and if you sign up now, you can get a one-year subscription along with the UFC 268 PPV for $90 (a $50 discount). That’s two pay-per-views for the price of one.

Sign up for ESPN+ now and watch UFC 267 at no added cost
ESPN+ customers can watch UFC 267 at no added cost, and those who sign up for a one-year subscription today will also get a hefty discount on the UFC 268 PPV. After handing over $70 for an annual ESPN+ subscription, the UFC 268 PPV would usually set you back $70. However, ESPN+ is offering the two for only $90.
Buy at ESPN+
UFC Pay Per View
Lucas Coll
Lucas Coll
Former Deals and News Writer
Lucas Coll has been a freelance writer for almost a decade and has penned articles on tech, video games, travel, cars, and…
Topics
What’s the deal with Bryson DeChambeau? The Open Championship controversy explained
DeChambeau drew ire and measured responses over the weekend.
Baseball Cap, Cap, Clothing

It was Ryan Fox who birdied the 18th hole on Sunday to win The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Despite the electric finish, all anyone's talking about is Bryson DeChambeau, who was given a two-stroke penalty following Friday's second round. The penalty has apparently divided the golf community, but the fact remains that DeChambeau's response to the penalty over the weekend took away from Fox's triumphant moment. And now, word is that DeChambeau reportedly tried and failed to rope President Donald Trump into said controversy.

The drama unfolded after Friday's second round, when it seemed DeChambeau finished the day in sole possession of second place with a -7 under score heading into the third round. At least it appeared that way -- until the leaderboard was updated to reflect a two-stroke penalty against DeChambeau, after officials claimed he stomped on the grass behind his ball to improve the line of his swing at No. 5. That, officials say, violates Rule 8.1, which states that, in order "to support the principle of 'play the course as you find it,' this Rule restricts what a player may do to improve any of these protected 'conditions affecting the stroke' (anywhere on or off the course)."

Read more
Spain outlasts Argentina to win FIFA World Cup and cap sensational tournament
Spain's relentless pressure finally paid off in extra time.
Celebrating, Person, Clothing

And just like that, Argentina's luck ran out. Spain's Ferran Torres emphatically found the back of the net from 8 yards out in extra time to secure La Roja a 1-0 win and the country's second World Cup. Torres' goal came in the 106th minute, but don't let that fool you: this was a one-sided contest from start to finish, and a deeper look at the box score reflects that.

I predicted Spain would beat Argentina, 3-1, and from the start it seemed like that prediction would come to fruition. Spain came out swinging, almost immediately recording two shots on goal, including an early header that came so close to finding the back of the net. Spain's relentless attack was evident throughout the match. La Roja applied pressure with swift passing and precision shots. Just ask Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez, who seemed to be the only one playing defense, making one spectacular save after another, 11 to be exact.

Read more
England-France playing for third place an instant World Cup classic
It was only for third place, but what a thriller.
Head, Person, Face

If you tuned in for the World Cup England-France game and checked out at halftime, nobody would have blamed you. The Three Lions led 4-0 at the half in a third-place game that was a blowout. You would have been right to assume England was in complete control and France had all but given up. You also would have been forgiven for turning off the TV and moving on to the rest of your Saturday. But for those who stuck it out, you were rewarded for your patience and loyalty.

France didn't waste any time getting on the board just three minutes into the second half with Kylian Mbappé's first goal of the game. Mbappé's goal didn't matter all that much at that point, except if you've been following the Golden Boot race. England still held a commanding 4-1 lead, thanks to goals from Declan Rice (3rd minute), Ezri Konsa (18th), and Bukayo Saka's brace (37th and stoppage time). Saka would complete the hat-trick in the 87th minute with a penalty conversion.

Read more