Jan Blachowicz withdraws from UFC 328 rematch with torn meniscus

Jan Blachowicz has been forced off the UFC 328 card, pulling out of his scheduled rematch with Bogdan Guskov on May 9 due to a torn meniscus.

The 43-year-old Polish veteran, ranked fifth in the light heavyweight division, carries a professional record of 29-11-2. Fighting out of the WCA Fight Team, Blachowicz stands six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach and has long been one of the division's most recognizable names. He averages 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy, and contributes to the grappling exchanges with 1.03 takedowns per 15 minutes.

Guskov, known as "Czarevitch," now finds himself without an opponent just weeks out from the event. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan holds an 18-3-1 record and sits at number ten in the light heavyweight rankings. Fighting out of GOR MMA, he stands six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach and is the more active striker of the two, landing 4.17 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, though he records no takedowns in that same window.

Why it matters

• Blachowicz's withdrawal removes a ranked, high-profile bout from the UFC 328 card just three weeks before the event
• Guskov, ranked tenth, loses a prime opportunity to climb the light heavyweight ladder with a win over a top-five opponent
• No recovery timeline has been disclosed for Blachowicz, leaving his near-term future in the division uncertain
• The UFC will need to find a replacement opponent for Guskov or restructure the card on short notice