Have you ever witnessed a fight and wondered, “Wait a second, was that the right call?” If so, you were not alone after UFC 291. When Alex Pereira raised his hand to win a split decision over Jan Blachowicz, not everyone was pleased. The fight was razor-close, but after the dust settled, doubts remained—was it simply a matter of various judging viewpoints, or was there something more controversial at work?
Some fights are debated for weeks, if not months, but this one sparked an immediate reaction. Fans swarmed social media with heated debates, with some calling it a fair choice and others crying foul. Even experienced fighters and analysts couldn’t agree. Was Pereira’s striking sufficient to overcome Blachowicz’s wrestling control? Did the judges accurately weigh the rounds? And most significantly, was Blachowicz robbed? Well, ahead of Jan Blachowicz’s fight against Carlos Ulberg at UFC London, let’s find out more about his controversial fight against Alex Pereira.
What was the controversy behind the Alex Pereira-Jan Blachowicz fight?
It’s one thing to lose a fight fairly, but it’s quite another to believe that the scorecards did not reflect the whole picture. Blachowicz wasn’t hesitant in expressing his dissatisfaction, and UFC legend Michael Bisping has his take on why the fight might not have been as straightforward as it appeared. This match caused an ongoing dispute due to Blachowicz’s superiority in certain rounds, the high altitude factor, and the split decision.
Blachowicz made his feelings crystal clear during an interview with MMAFightingonSBN. “I want to remind people how tough I am because I think people forget. You know, I won against Alex Pereira. He just won (against) me (because) the referees helped him, in my opinion.” A bold allegation, but not uncommon in a sport where close fights frequently result in questionable outcomes. The former champion is convinced he did enough to win and that the Brazilian’s triumph was more about officiating than his real performance inside the Octagon. Bisping, on the other hand, took a more impartial but equally critical approach.
MMA: UFC 291 – Blachowicz vs Pereira Jul 29, 2023 Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Jan Blachowicz red gloves fights Alex Pereira blue gloves during UFC 291 at Delta Center. Salt Lake City Delta Center Utah USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffxSwingerx 20230729_szo_si8_0318
On his YouTube channel, he said, “I don’t think it was the best performance from either man. They were at elevation; they were tired; they were a little sluggish; they were a little sloppy. I say that with respect. Pereira didn’t look as fast, didn’t look as snappy. I wonder if that was the elevation or was it carrying all that extra weight?” While Michael Bisping did not explicitly respond to Blachowicz’s claim of unfair judging, he did agree that external factors such as altitude, exhaustion, and size had a significant impact on how the fight played out. But, in the end, only the judges’ opinions mattered. And when two of them agreed with Pereira, the controversy was settled. However, Blachowicz isn’t done fighting for the gold yet. In fact, he is all geared up to steal away Alex Pereira’s recent title spot.
Jan Blachowicz reveals major plans against Alex Pereira
Blachowicz believes the issue surrounding his fight with Alex Pereira is more than just a bad call; it is about unfinished business. While the judges may have ruled in Pereira’s favor that night, ‘John’ refuses to let that be the last word. Instead of obsessing on the past, he intends to push the UFC’s hand in a new way: by making himself undeniable. With a high-stakes bout against Carlos Ulberg at UFC London, Jan Blachowicz sees this as a wonderful opportunity to shake up the division and reintroduce himself into the title picture.
The 42-year-old understands that the UFC’s current plan calls for an immediate rematch between ‘Poatan’ and newly crowned light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev, but he isn’t ready to accept that as a done deal. The Polish powerhouse has previously fought Ankalaev to a split draw in a title bout in 2022. If he can dominantly eliminate Ulberg, he believes the UFC will be forced to reevaluate their timeline. “I will make everything to change this on Saturday,” Blachowicz declared. “After my win against Ulberg, I’m going to change this, and I believe after I beat Carlos, I’m going to be the next contender for the title.”
It’s a bold strategy, and it suits Blachowicz’s track record. He’s been here before, facing a highly regarded City Kickboxing fighter, just as he did in 2021 when he defeated Israel Adesanya. ‘Black Jag,’ who is on a seven-fight winning streak, presents a tough challenge, but ‘John’ believes history will repeat itself. “Every fight is different, but I think we’ve got a plan for him, and it’s going to be a good plan,” he stated. “I believe in that. I will do everything I can to knock him out.” If he succeeds, ‘Poatan’ will not only have to worry about Ankalaev but also about a fired-up Blachowicz, who is eager to settle the score once and for all. What do you think? Will we get to see Jan Blachowicz as the new champion in 2025? Let us know in the comments.
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