Blachowicz back on winning path

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Jan Blachowicz returned to winning form in the UFC on Sunday morning, claiming a third TKO victory over up-and-comer Aleksandar Rakic in the third round of their light heavyweight main event at a Fight Night at the APEX Facility in Las Vegas.

The victory is a key one for 39-year-old Blachowicz, who lost the division title to Glover Teixeira in October last year and needed a ‘W’ on his return to the Octagon to keep alive his hopes of reclaiming the gold in the near future.

From the start of the match, Blachowicz aimed a series of nasty kicks at Rakic’s calf, but as he pressed forward in the third round, the Austrian fighter took a step back and his knee just buckled. Rakic fell to the ground in obvious pain as the referee rushed in to stop the fight and hand victory to the Pole.

“This is what I expect,” Blachowicz said in his post-fight interview. “The first round, something happened with my eye. But I feel the first round was really good. He has an injury, it is what it is. S*** happens sometimes. I cannot wait to step inside again. I hope the UFC gives me the next title shot.”

Teixeira has already stated that he would be happy to face Blachowicz in a title rematch – provided he can successfully come through his first defence of the belt against Jiri Prochazka next month.

“Glover, I keep fingers [crossed] for you,” Blachowicz said. “I hope so we are going to fight again.”

The rest of the main card had Ryan Spann submitting Ion Cutelaba with a guillotine choke in the first round of their light heavyweight co-main event; Davey Grant made quick work of Louis Smolka, with a knockout in the first round of their bantamweight match; Katlyn Chookagian edged Amanda Ribas via split decision in their women’s bantamweight bout; Manuel Torres scored a first-round TKO win over fellow lightweight Frank Camacho; and Allan Nascimento got the better of Jake Hadley over three rounds for a unanimous decision win in the flyweight category.

The next UFC event is a Fight Night at the APEX Facility on Sunday 22 May, headlined by a women’s bantamweight clash between Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira.

RESULTS

- Main event: Light heavyweight: Jan Blachowicz def. Aleksandar Rakic via TKO (knee injury), R3, 1:11

- Co-main: Light heavyweight: Ryan Spann def. Ion Cutelaba via submission (guillotine choke), R1, 2:22

- Bantamweight: Davey Grant def. Louis Smolka via KO (punches), R3, 0:49

- Women’s flyweight: Katlyn Chookagian def. Amanda Ribas via split decision (28-29 29-28 29-28), R3, 5:00

- Lightweight: Manuel Torres def. Frank Camacho via TKO (punches), R1, 3:27

- Flyweight: Allan Nascimento def. Jake Hadley via unanimous decision (30-27 30-27 30-27), R3, 5:00