June 19, 2026, 11:54 a.m. ET
After an injury delayed their rematch, a former light heavyweight champion is ready to return later this summer.
Former champ Jan Blachowicz had to pull out of a scheduled UFC 328 rematch with Bogdan Guskov after suffering a meniscus tear in his knee. Now mended, he’s been rebooked.
Blachowicz (29-11-2 MMA, 12-8-2 UFC) will take on Guskov (18-3-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC) when the UFC sets up shop in Serbia for the first time for UFC Fight Night 283 on Aug. 1 at Belgrade Arena (Paramount+). UFC officials announced the newly booked rematch Friday.
Blachowicz won the vacant 205-pound title in 2020 against Dominick Reyes. He defended it when Israel Adesanya moved up from middleweight to try for a second belt. But he lost it to Glover Teixeira in October 2021.
The Polish fighter beat Aleksandar Rakic and got another crack at the vacant belt in late 2022, but had a draw with Magomed Ankalaev. After back-to-back losses to Alex Pereira and new champ Carlos Ulberg, he had his draw with Guskov at UFC 323 this past December.
But with the two draws, two losses and injury delays, the 43-year-old Blachowicz has gone more than four years without a win.
The draw with Blachowicz put a halt to Guskov’s modest four-fight winning streak – though all four wins were by stoppage, including two for bonuses when he pounded out Zac Pauga and Ryan Spann in back-to-back fights in 2024.
The 33-year-old Guskov capped his four-fight streak with a first-round finish of Nikita Krylov for his biggest win yet over his most accomplished opponent until he fought Blachowicz.
With the addition, the UFC Serbia lineup now includes:
- Uros Medic vs. Daniel Rodriguez
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Bogdan Guskov
- Ante Delija vs. Johnny Walker
- Aleksandar Rakic vs. Marcin Tybura
- Max Gimenis vs. Jovan Leka
- Vlasto Cepo vs. Gilbert Urbina
- Dusko Todorovic vs. Robert Valentin
- Ludovit Klein vs. Tofiq Musayev
- Oban Elliott vs. Michael Oliveira
