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By Daniel Arwas
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Former UFC Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker had a successful light heavyweight debut last month at UFC 329, when he finished #12 ranked fighter Nikita Krylov.
Two week after, former champion of the division and current #4 ranked Jan Blachowicz was finished by up-and-comer Navajo Stirling.
Despite some suggesting that the 43-year old Blachowicz ought to consider retirement, the Pole called out Whittaker less than a week after his most recent loss for a fight later this year.
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And Whittaker – having fought just one time over the past year – almost immediately agreed to the fight via an Instagram comment in which he also tagged the matchmaker for the division, Mick Maynard, who also handles flyweight, middleweight and heavyweight.
Aside from being almost a decade younger, Whittaker is faster and lighter on his feet than the stocky Blachowicz. But in a division that is still fairly new to the 35-year old, Jan is far more accomplished challenge than the one presented by the inconsistent Krylov, who has now lost three out of his past four fights.
Blachowicz has continued to fight well into his 40s, but he has not won since a knee injury took out Aleksandar Rakic back in May 2022. His best performance since then was no doubt forcing now-former champion of the division Magomed Ankalaev into a hard-fought draw.
After a five-fight winless streak, a loss to Whittaker would almost certainly spell an end to Blachowicz's UFC career. For Whittaker, a win could propel him into the start of getting into contention atop the division.
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