Report: Corey Anderson vs Jan Blachowicz to headline UFC Rio Rancho
Following the recent news of a light heavyweight title fight between champion Jon Jones and contender Dominick Reyes being scheduled for February, the UFC has reportedly booked a possible number one contender fight in the light heavyweight division.
While Jones and Reyes are scheduled to fight for the light heavyweight title at UFC 247 on February 8 in Houston, Texas, a report from ESPN stated that two top light heavyweight contenders who will face off the following weekend as the headliner in New Mexico. Brett Okamoto of ESPN was first to report that Corey Anderson vs Jan Blachowicz is in the works to headline UFC Fight Night on February 15 which is scheduled to take place in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Breaking: Potential No. 1 contender bout between Corey Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) and Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) is in the works to headline UFC Fight Night on Feb. 15 in New Mexico, per sources. More info on @espn shortly. pic.twitter.com/u7V0lsEF09
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 2, 2019
Corey Anderson has been very vocal in his pursuit of a title fight saying Jon Jones has been avoiding him in the division, while Anderson continued to rack up wins and see his stock rise. Currently riding a four-fight winning streak, Anderson has defeated Patrick Cummins, Glover Teixeira, Ilir Latifi, and rising prospect Johnny Walker during his streak, which has led him to the scheduled title eliminator against Blachowicz.
Jan Blachowicz exploded onto the scene in the division when he defeated Luke Rockhold at UFC 239 back in July, and is riding a two-fight winning streak of his own in the division. Most recently, Blachowicz defeated former middleweight contender Jacare Souza in November, as Souza was making his light heavyweight division debut. Blachowicz has won 6 of his last 7 fights inside the light heavyweight division with his most notable wins coming against Rockhold, Souza, Nikita Krylov and Jimi Manuwa over that time.
The timing of the UFC’s Rio Rancho card would make it easy to assume that they are likely looking to book the winner of this matchup as the next light heavyweight title contender as it takes place one week after UFC 247. Before it was announced that Reyes would be the next challenger to champion Jon Jones both Blachowicz and Anderson took aim at the champion for a title opportunity.
This light heavyweight contender fight will take place on the UFC’s Fight Night in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on February 15 and is scheduled to air on ESPN+.
