Top UFC light heavyweight doubles down on taking over cursed division as he waits in the wings

Top UFC light heavyweight Aleksandar Rakic put out a tweet stating that none of the other light heavyweights want the belt.

The UFC's second-heaviest division has suffered a sort of power vacuum since the exit of Jon Jones from the division in 2020. Four people have since held the belt, and none of them could hold on to it for more than a year – except for Jan Blachowicz, who had it for 13 months.

Rakic is currently ranked No.4 in the 205-pound division, having last fought in May 2022. In his last fight, he faced former champion Jan Blachowicz but lost via TKO in the third round after suffering a debilitating knee injury. 'Rocket' has been away from the octagon for over a year.

However, with his latest tweet, it seems like Aleksandar Rakic has recovered and is ready to fight. Based on his latest post, we might see a return of the Austrian fighter pretty soon.

"None of these guys really want that belt. Just wait until I am back to take over."

Before losing to Jan Blachowicz at UFC Vegas 54, Rakic was on a two-fight win streak. Prior to his loss to Blachowicz, Rakic had only one loss via a split decision to Volkan Oezdemir in 2019.

The Austrian fighter has knocked out names like Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark, and handily beat fighters like Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos inside the octagon. Rakic has nine wins by knockout and one submission victory in 17 career bouts.

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The state of the UFC light heavyweight division

At one point, Jon Jones reigned supreme in the UFC light heavyweight division. 'Bones' was unstoppable at that weight class. The UFC kept feeding him top opponents, who Jones dispatched rather effectively, much to the awe of fight fans.

Even in the second half of his career at 205 pounds which was marred by controversy, Jones performed at a high level, winning decision victories against the likes of Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, and Dominick Reyes. Whether he fought or not, Jones' presence at light heavyweight kept the division stable, with contenders having a clear picture of who they needed to beat.

Jon Jones at light heavyweight:

Once Jones left the division, it felt like he left a vacuum that is, to this day, keeping the division shaky. The statement is evident by the fact that, in three years, four champions have held and either lost or vacated the belt due to injury. With Jamahal Hill now out of the picture, Jiri Prochazka may most likely fight for the title when he returns.

The question is - who will be Prochazka's likely opponent? We may get our answer soon with Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira on the horizon.