After comfortably beating Israel Adesanya, we may have to wait a while to see UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz back in the Octagon.
The Polish fighter’s commanding performance against the UFC middleweight champion has created plenty of interest to see how long he can reign as the king of 205 pounds.
It’s almost certain that Blachowicz’s next title defence will be against a fellow veteran in Glover Teixeira, who has enjoyed a late career resurgence similar to the champion. Teixeira is on a five-fight win streak and, somehow, despite both men being ever-present in the UFC light heavyweight division at the same time for seven years, they have never fought each other.
However, Blachowicz made it clear that Teixeira will have to be patient for his second chance at winning a UFC championship.
“[I want a] short break – minimum half-year break,” Blachowicz said in the UFC 259 post-fight press conference after his win against Adesanya. [H/T Sherdog] “I want to spend some time with my family.
“I am a father. My child was just born and I don’t spend any time with him because I have to prepare for my fight. If he wants to wait, [Teixeira] will be my next opponent.”
This means we are unlikely to see that patented Polish power until September at the earliest. If the fight does happen then, it also means Teixeira will have had a layoff almost lasting a year.
Blachowicz became a father for the first time in December and was in training camp preparing for the challenge posed by Adesanya ever since his son’s birth.