Former UFC champion Jan Blachowicz was blinded by an eye injury sustained during the opening round of his victory over Aleksandar Rakic.
The Polish star was looking to cement his place as the leading light-heavyweight contender against Rakic who was ranked just two places below him in third. Blachowicz got the all-important stoppage in the third round, with his opponent suffering a severe-looking knee injury which left him grounded and unable to continue.
However the Polish star revealed he will require surgery on his own injury, despite being uncertain whether the injury was sustained from a punch. “It’s OK, but I’m going to have some small surgery on Monday on this eye,” Blachowicz said of his eye at the post-fight press conference. “Doctor says maybe it’s going to be small, maybe going to be bigger. He doesn't know yet. He needs to check in the hospital.
“I don’t know when it happened, I felt it when it happened. It was in the beginning of the first round, one of the first punches. I couldn't see anything in the first round with this eye. I hope that the UFC now gives me another title shot, that I’m going to be next one in line. I was No.1, Rakic was No.3. For me it’s obvious that I’m the No 1. contender now for the title shot.
“I’ve never been in Singapore, so why not? I like travelling. I like being in new places. So if they want me I will go there. But first of all I need to fix the eye. I don’t know what they’re going to do.”
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Blachowicz will likely seek a shot at regaining his crown in a rematch with Glover Teixeira who snatched the belt from his grasp in his last outing. The Brazilian promised Blachowicz a second meeting next after coming through his latest test, tweeting: Let’s go Jan Blachowicz, win tonight and I’ll win Jun 11 then we will run it back."
He later responded to the star after recording victory, writing: "Thank you, Glover! Good luck in your fight and I hope to see you soon inside the cage." Current champion Teixeira will first need to navigate the test of Czech contender Jiri Prochazka who will pose a significant threat to the crown, having won both of his UFC outings against Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes.
