UFC 253: Jan Blachowicz breaks Dominick Reyes’ nose in second-round TKO to claim light heavyweight title
- Polish 37-year-old calls out Jon Jones after winning vacant title on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi
- ‘There’s only one thing on my mind. I’m here, this is how we do it in Poland. I am waiting for you,’ says Blachowicz
Jan Blachowicz broke Dominick Reyes’ nose, and then his spirit, on his way to claiming the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 253 with a second-round TKO on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
“Jon Jones where are you?” said the Polish 37-year-old (27-8). “There’s only one thing on my mind. I’m here, this is how we do it in Poland. I am waiting for you.”
It will have been a bitter pill to swallow for Reyes (12-2), who was still receiving medical treatment on the ground while Blachowicz was giving his post-fight interview in the Octagon.
Jon Jones had reigned over this division for the best part of nine years, give or take a couple of Usada suspensions which opened the door for Daniel Cormier to show similar dominance.
But Jones’ move up to the heavyweight division, vacating the title in the process, gave a stagnant division sudden life, with Reyes – who pushed Jones further than perhaps any foe in recent years – looking to “right a wrong” after his controversial decision defeat by “Bones” in February.