Jan Blachowicz avenged his 2015 loss to Corey Anderson at UFC Fight Night 167 on Saturday, and in doing put himself in the conversation as the next challenger for the light heavyweight championship. Blachowicz, who is known for his stopping power, connected with a right hand flush to the head of Anderson that sent him to the canvas. A follow-up shot sealed the deal as referee Herb Dean put a stop to the fight at 3:08 in the opening round.
Following his quick finish, Blachowicz immediately turned to Jon Jones, who was sitting cageside for the fight. The light heavyweight champion seemingly embraced the challenge, flashing a smile with his arms open.
It was Blachowicz's third win in a row, having defeated Luke Rockhold and Ronaldo Souza previously. “I proved that I’m the next contender for a title shot,” said Blachowicz, who entered the night ranked No. 6 in the division. Having defeated Anderson, the only fighters ahead of him in the division — Dominick Reyes, Thiago Santos, Anthony Smith, and Daniel Cormier — have all already lost to Jones.
"You are next," Blachowicz told Jones. "Let's do this. Tell me when. Give me the place and time."