Jan Blachowicz and Jamahal Hill are aiming to simplify the UFC matchmaking process by pursuing a high-profile showdown next year. Both former light heavyweight champions have signaled interest in facing each other in 2026 after first hinting at the bout on social media.
Blachowicz, who holds a 29-11-2 MMA record with 12-8-2 in the UFC, fired the initial invitation for a fight inside the Octagon in 2026. Hill, boasting a 12-4 MMA record with 6-4 in the UFC, quickly responded, expressing his own interest in the potential matchup via X.
It remains unclear whether Blachowicz’s call-out was partly in defense of fellow Polish former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, with Hill having recently engaged in a public exchange with Jedrzejczyk following a verbal altercation at UFC 323 in Las Vegas earlier this month.
Blachowicz competed at UFC 323, where he fought Bogdan Guskov to a majority draw in a 205-pound contest. Hill is coming off a decision loss to Khalil Rountree Jr. in June and is currently taking time off to recover from injuries.
These developments come as fans and pundits watch where both veterans fit into the 205-pound landscape, especially with Blachowicz seeking a marquee rematch title with Hill and Hill navigating his own bounce-back path after recent setbacks.
