UFC Rio Rancho brought a spectacular finish, where Jan Blachowicz (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) knocked out Corey Anderson (13-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) to avenge his loss from UFC 191.
The Polish fighter proved his excellent form and demolished his opponent with one very precise and sharp punch after 3:08 of the first round. Anderson wanted to attack Blachowicz’s knee with a low kick, but instead overexposed himself, which was a gift the 36-year old couldn’t refuse.
One of the best counter-punchers in the UFC threw a right hand directly to Anderson’s chin, which sent him on the floor. Following that, he landed one more hammer-punch to seal the win, and force the judge in the ring, Herb Dean, to stop the bout and save the American from further beating.
Many expected a more interesting fight. Anderson, a wrestling-oriented fighter, was a favorite according to the bookies before the match. His previous win against Blachowicz gave him a massive edge, and a four-win streak also indicated that he might perform better.
He would immediately call out Jon Jones in the octagon, saying that he wants a title shot against the Bones.
“You promised me, ‘You’re next,'” Blachowicz said to Jones. “Let’s do this. Tell me when. I know I am one of the best. I proved that I am the next contender for a title shot.”
According to some experts and insiders from the MMA world, this bout was supposed to provide the next challenger for Jones in case his rematch with Dominick Reyes isn’t agreed.
The light heavyweight champion didn’t have anything against meeting with the Pole. After that, Bones added that he expects a call from the organization, which will tell him the name of his next rival.
“I could totally see the UFC matching us up with each other,” Jones said. “What better way to make a claim for the title than to get a knockout like that. I got a feeling the UFC’s gonna be giving me a call real soon,” he stated.
Blachowicz won seven of his past eight events, losing only to Thiago Santos, who lost to Jones in his title fight. Also, he now has 16 finishes since the start of his MMA career and three knockouts in the previous four contests.
As for Anderson, this was his chance to make a breakthrough. He had four wins in a row, and was projected to meet Jones, but failed to triumph when it mattered the most. Even the champion himself admitted that he expected the American to take this one.
He will probably have to wait for some time before having a chance to even participate in a title-eliminator.
In other fights of the night, Michel Pereira was disqualified due to an illegal knee hit, and Diego Sanches posted a win. Pereira was dominant from the beginning and was bound to win this one, but a single moment of his distraction cost him a lot.
Also, Brok Weaver earned the win in the same manner, with Kazula Vargas firing an illegal knee kick. Montana De La Rosa was better than Mara Romero Borella via a unanimous decision.
