UFC Targeting Jan Blachowicz, Aleksandar Rakic to Headline March 26 Card

Former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz is expected to compete for the first time since losing the belt when he faces Aleksandar Rakic in the main event of an Ultimate Fighting Championship card on March 26.

The proposed 205-pound booking was first reported by Ariel Helwani, but the bout has not been finalized at this point in time. The event does not yet have an official location or venue.

Blachowicz saw a five-bout winning streak come to an end at UFC 267, when he relinquished the light heavyweight crown to Glover Teixeira in a second-round submission defeat. The 38-year-old Pole claimed the vacant strap with a second-round stoppage of Dominick Reyes at UFC 253 before outpointing middleweight king Israel Adesanya in his lone title defense at UFC 259. Blachowicz has won nine of his last 11 UFC appearances dating back to October 2017.

Rakic, meanwhile, has been victorious in six of seven outings within the Las Vegas-based promotion. The 29-year-old Austrian rebounded from a split-decision loss to Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Fight Night 165 to earn unanimous verdicts over Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos in his last two Octagon appearances.