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Michael Bisping recently offered his take on Jan Blachowicz's prospects in a middleweight fight against Israel Adesanya. He admitted that Blachowicz would have a harder time overcoming the challenge presented by the Kiwi at 185lbs.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Blachowicz recently declared he was eyeing a rematch against Israel Adesanya at middleweight. The duo locked horns at UFC 259 in March 2021 for the 205lb belt, and Blachowicz became the first person to defeat 'The Last Stylebender'.
The Pole overcame the challenge presented by Adesanya by not just striking with him but imposing his dominance on the ground with superior wrestling and pressure.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping opined that fighting at a lower weight would cost Jan Blachowicz his strength. He further stated that the Polish fighter may be unable to overpower Adesanya as much as he did, given that he will weigh significantly lower than he did in their previous octagon outing:
"One thing's for sure, he will not be as strong. So could he take him [Israel Adesanya] down? Did strength play a factor? I think it was more timing and technique that put him down. But strength does come into it. He won't be as explosive and he won't be as powerful."
Bisping did point out, though, that the lack of weight will make Blachowicz faster in his movements and striking.
Watch the video below:
Israel Adesanya fight likely the first time Jan Blachowicz will compete below 200lbs
Amid talk of a potential move down to the middleweight division, it is interesting to note that Blachowicz has never fought at middleweight. The Pole recently revealed that the lowest weight he's fought at is roughly about 91 kilos [200.6 pounds].
While in conversation with Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The MMA Hour, Blachowicz harked back to his amateur Muay Thai days and said:
"As a fighter, I don't remember [my lowest fighting weight]. But when I was an amateur fighter in Muay Thai I was at 91 kilos. So 200 or 203 or 202lbs. Something like this."
If a fight against Israel Adesanya comes to fruition, it will likely be the first time Blachowicz will compete at middleweight.
The former light heavyweight champion is coming off a victory against Aleksandar Rakic. The fight at UFC Vegas 54 ended in an anti-climactic fashion when Rakic blew out his knee in the third round, ending the fight due to a doctor stoppage.
Watch Jan Blachowicz's full interaction with Helwani below:
