Jan Blachowicz of Poland on Saturday in unanimous points decision defeated the unbeaten Israel Adesanya of Nigeria, though not representing Nigeria in the professional fight, to retain his world light heavyweight title at UFC 259 in Las Vegas, USA. Jan Blachowicz after the bout revealed that he would have preferred victory on technical knockout but however, was happy for the victory on unanimous decision, acknowledging that Adebayo is one of the world’s UFC bests.
“If I had knocked him out, it would have been better, but anyway I love this win because he is one of the best in the world,” Jan Blachowicz 38 years old, said. The Polish won the fight in the split decisions of the judges who scored the 49-46, 49-45, and 49-45 in favour of the winner.
It was revealed that this is the first defeat suffered by the 31-year-old Adesanya in his 21-fight career.
The Nigeria-born fighter was doing well at the beginning of the fight but lost concentration afterward and could not size up the bigger Blachowicz.
Blachowicz had expressed: “I thought that he would be a little bit faster, but he hit harder than I thought.
“He was slower and harder which is something I didn’t expect. I knew that if I took him down, I’m bigger, stronger a little bit, so I would be better on the ground.
“I just had to wait for a good moment. I should have used my left hand more, put more pressure on him, but game plan is one (thing), fighting is a different thing.”
Blachowicz has a record 27 wins and 9 losses.
This is Adesanya’s first defeat in his career. He, therefore, declared: it is “back to the drawing board.”