Jan Blachowicz announced his withdrawal from the UFC 328 rematch against Bogdan Guskov due to a torn meniscus. The 43-year-old fighter insists this is not the end of his career and that he will return to finish on his own terms. Blachowicz made the announcement via his social media accounts. The injury forces him out of the scheduled May 9 event. His determination to return suggests he is not ready to retire despite the setback and his age.
Jan Blachowicz has been forced out of his scheduled rematch with Bogdan Guskov at UFC 328 on May 9 after the Polish veteran announced he is dealing with a torn meniscus.
Blachowicz, 43, broke the news himself through his social media accounts, making clear that while the injury ends his participation in the May card, he has no intention of retiring. The former light heavyweight champion from Poland carries a professional record of 29-11-2 and is currently ranked fifth in the division. Standing six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, he has built his career on well-rounded fundamentals, averaging 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy alongside 1.03 takedowns per 15 minutes across his UFC tenure.
Guskov, who trains out of GOR MMA and competes under the nickname Czarevitch, now finds his rematch shelved without a replacement opponent announced. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan holds an 18-3-1 record and sits ranked 10th at light heavyweight. At six-foot-three with a 193-centimeter reach, Guskov has shown a higher output than Blachowicz in terms of striking, landing 4.17 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, while also posing a submission threat with 1.1 attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Blachowicz's withdrawal removes a ranked matchup from UFC 328, leaving a gap in the light heavyweight portion of the card.
- A fifth-ranked contender being sidelined disrupts the division's pecking order at a time when title picture positioning matters.
- Guskov, sitting 10th, loses an opportunity to climb rankings against a significantly more experienced opponent.
- Blachowicz's public insistence that he will return keeps his light heavyweight future open, though his timeline depends entirely on recovery from the knee surgery.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
