Ivo Baraniewski offered replacement fight against Bogdan Guskov at UFC 328

The UFC has moved quickly to fill a significant gap on its UFC 328 card, offering Polish prospect Iwo Baraniewski a short-notice replacement bout against Bogdan Guskov on May 9, 2026. The offer was confirmed by Baraniewski's manager, Artur Gwozd. As of the announcement, Baraniewski has not yet officially accepted the fight.

The matchup became available after Jan Blachowicz, the fifth-ranked light heavyweight contender, was forced to withdraw from the event with a torn meniscus. The 43-year-old Polish veteran, who stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach and carries a professional record of 29-11-2, had been booked opposite Guskov before the injury ended his participation.

Guskov, nicknamed Czarevitch, enters the event ranked tenth in the light heavyweight division with a record of 18-3-1. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan is a dangerous offensive fighter, landing 4.17 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent. He also generates submission threats, averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Baraniewski is an undefeated 27-year-old with a perfect 8-0-0 record. Standing six feet tall with a 73-inch reach, he has posted eye-catching striking numbers, landing 15.77 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 70 percent accuracy rate.

Why it matters

• Blachowicz's withdrawal removes a ranked veteran from the card, and Guskov risks losing a competitive matchup without a quick replacement
• Baraniewski would be a significant step up in competition and profile for the unbeaten Pole on very short notice
• Both fighters are orthodox strikers, setting up a stand-up-focused contest given neither has recorded takedowns in recent activity
• A win over a top-ten light heavyweight would be a career-defining result for the undefeated Baraniewski