MMA

UFC Belgrade live blog: Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling

Published

3 months ago

August 1, 2026

UFC Belgrade live blog: Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling

This is the live blog for Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling, the light heavyweight co-main event for Saturday's UFC Belgrade card at Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia.

A former UFC champion, Blachowicz (29-11-2) currently stands at No. 6 at 205 pounds in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. Blachowicz fought Bogdan Guskov to a majority draw in his most recent outing and the two were supposed to rematch Saturday until Guskov was moved to a fight with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi this past weekend (Guskov replaced an injured Khalil Rountree Jr.). That unsatisfying result dropped Blachowicz to 0-2-2 in his past four fights and he hasn't scored a win since an injury TKO over Aleksandar Rakic in 2022.

Stirling (10-0) has won his first five fights to establish himself as a future contender in the light heavyweight division. The City Kickboxing product has finished his past two opponents, but faces a huge step up in competition in Blachowicz as he strives to break into the top 10 of the rankings.

Check out the Jan Blachowicz vs. Navajo Stirling live blog below.

Well, that was terrible. This event has been pretty fun, but that feature fight got real heavyweight.

Not entirely sure this will be much better, either.

Stirling walks out to some very somber music. He looks normal. Jan looks a little nervy as he walks? Also, Jon Anik says something about him being unable to lift weights during camp, and now he's seeming like an old man.

Even still, the old man is a saavy fighter. I suspect he uglies this fight up, slows it down, and loses on points.

Jan is 15 years older, 2 inches shorter, and a big dog at +265 with Stirling coming in at -340.

Buffer gets things going and it's time.

Jan out quickly to the center. Stirling with some lead leg kicks early, just small. Then he goes high and slips, allowing Jan to jump on him. But Stirling scrambles up and now they're clinched against the fence, with Stirling holding Jan.

In-fighting here but now major gains. Stirling with more inside calf kicks, staying busy. Jan trying to walk him down but hasn't thrown much.

OH! Stirling drops to a knee and it looks like Jan caught him with a big left hand as he stepped in. Jan tries to pound but Stirling clinches to buy time. He seems to be OK but he had to work it out. Stirling on his bike now, and he's bleeding from the nose as Jan comes forward. But Stirling is getting busier now, with a sharp jab.

HUGE RIGHT HAND from Stirling lands clean and sends Blachowicz to the mat! The commentary is quiet but this might be the end for Jan! Stirling pounces and he's pouring on the ground-and-pound! And that's it!

WOW. What a performance from Navajo Stirling!

Navajo Stirling def. Jan Blachowicz via TKO (punches) â€” 2:56, Round 1.

Stirling keeps it simple in his post fight. He shouts out Blachowicz, saying he's a big fan. Then apologizes for missing his sister's 21st birthday. Then calls for a fight with either Khalil Rountree of Paulo Costa.

MMA

UFC 333 press conference video

Published

12 hours ago

October 22, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

At the UFC 333 press conference, the top four fighters in Saturday's event will answer questions from the media Thursday morning.

In the main event, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski faces Movsar Evloev. UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan squares off against Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event.

The UFC 333 press conference is expected to begin at 9 a.m. ET.

MMA

TJ Dillashaw predicts Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili trilogy at UFC 333

Published

12 hours ago

October 22, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

TJ Dillashaw predicts Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili trilogy at UFC 333

Zuffa LLC

Former UFC champion TJ Dillashaw has given his thoughts on the trilogy fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333.

On Saturday night, Petr Yan will put his UFC bantamweight championship on the line when he goes up against Merab Dvalishvili, the same man he beat for the belt last year, in the third and potentially final fight in their series.

RELATED: Sean O'Malley sends Petr Yan a cold message ahead of UFC 333 trilogy fight

Dvalishvili won the first bout before Petr Yan came back and improved dramatically to win the rematch. At this point, it's hard to say which way it's going to swing given how talented both fighters are.

In a recent interview, however, TJ Dillashaw had some interesting views on Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3.

TJ Dillashaw on Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3

â€œI just think that Yan really had the answers. Yan looked fantastic. Takedown defense was amazing and a guy that fights like Merab, looking for those takedowns, that's his path to victory just relentlessly grinding and getting those takedowns. If he can't get you down and it's failed shot after failed shot, then his gas tank is never going to be as good as the guy defending shots, even if you are the more in-shape fighter. We'll see if four fights in one year had a factor, but I think Yan just has the game plan and looked really good.â€

â€œI am leaning towards Yan. Tough fight. It really is. I think he had all the answers, and that confidence builds. He's had some losses, but those losses were (weird). His losses are minuscule losses, and then that last fight, I think just builds so much confidence that he has what it takes. The answer for Merab, the cardio for Merab. I'm leaning towards Yan, but I think it's going to be a banger of a fight again. Merab is never going to stop and you have to beat the bricks off him to win.â€

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Who are you backing to leave UFC 333 with the title? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

MMA

Brendan Allen says he & Khamzat Chimaev will fight only for UFC gold

Published

18 hours ago

October 22, 2026

The Punch Junkie™ News

Brendan Allen says he & Khamzat Chimaev will fight only for UFC gold

Brendan
Allen says he and Khamzat
Chimaev have agreed to fight each other only if a title is on
the line.

Allen submitted Christian
Leroy Duncan in his last bout, extending his
Ultimate Fighting Championship winning streak to four. The
victory strengthened â€œAll Inâ€'s case for a title shot and raised
the possibility of a clash with his friend, Chimaev. However, Allen
said they have an agreement governing a potential matchup.

Brendan Allen explains title-only fight agreement with Khamzat
Chimaev

Allen discussed the arrangement during an appearance on MMA Junkie
Radio, saying their friendship wouldn't prevent them from sharing
the Octagon in a championship bout.

â€œWe have the agreement that we're not going to fight each other
unless it's for gold,â€ Allen said. â€œSo, if it's for the belt, then
we're gonna fight. Fighting for the belt changes my life, and it
changes my family's. Everyone that I've ever come in contact with
knows that about me: if it's for a belt, there's no questions
that's gonna be asked from my end.â€

Chimaev suffered his first professional defeat in May, losing the
UFC middleweight title to Sean
Strickland at
UFC 328. â€œBorzâ€ has sought a rematch, but Nassourdine
Imavov appears positioned to receive the next title shot.
Meanwhile, Allen called out former champion Dricus Du
Plessis after beating Duncan at
UFC Vegas 122.