Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya will move up to light heavyweight to face current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Jan Blachowicz.
Adesanya, 31, who is undefeated, holds the middleweight title but his belt won’t be on the line when he squares off with Polish Blachowicz in the Octagon.
UFC President Dana White and Adesanya reportedly spoke about the move Friday with the undefeated Nigeria-born New Zealander on board to switch weight classes.
The 37-year-old Polish hold a Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has 27 wins and eight loses.
According to White, the UFC had initially plotted the course for Adesanya to face former champion Robert Whittaker in a rematch but instead the middleweight king will attempt to win a second title in his return to action in 2021.
“Listen when the fight was over on Fight Island, the last fight, I was like I’m going to have to sit down with this kid and convince him on why he needs to fight [Robert] Whittaker,” White explained during the post fight press conference. “Whittaker comes out and says he doesn’t want to fight him. Craziest sh*t I’ve ever seen.
“So there’s no arguing with Israel now. I thought Whittaker deserved the shot and Whittaker doesn’t want it so we’ll let him do it.”
Adesanya was spotted at UFC Fight Night 181 in Las Vegas on Saturday and had a small back-and-forth with middleweight Kevin Holland after the latter defeated Charlie Ontiveros via technical knockout.
Holland appeared to call out Adesanya for a shot at the title after winning four straight bouts in 2020.