Jan Blachowicz tears meniscus, fight with Guskov at UFC 328 canceled

A torn meniscus has forced Jan Blachowicz out of his scheduled light heavyweight bout against Bogdan Guskov at UFC 328, which was set for May 9. No replacement fight or rescheduling has been announced.

Blachowicz, 43, is one of the most decorated fighters in the light heavyweight division's recent history. The Polish veteran holds a professional record of 29-11-2 and is currently ranked fifth in the division. Standing six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, Blachowicz lands 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy and adds 1.03 takedowns per 15 minutes to his game. He trains out of WCA Fight Team and fights out of an orthodox stance.

His opponent, Bogdan "Czarevitch" Guskov, now finds himself without a dance partner three weeks out from the card. The 33-year-old from Uzbekistan carries an 18-3-1 record and sits at number ten in the light heavyweight rankings. Fighting out of GOR MMA, Guskov stands six-foot-three with a 76-inch reach and is a high-output striker, 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.

Why it matters

• Blachowicz's injury removes a ranked top-five fighter from the May 9 card, creating a notable gap in the light heavyweight lineup.
• Guskov, ranked tenth, loses a prime opportunity to climb the rankings with a win over a higher-ranked opponent.
• The light heavyweight division absorbs another scheduling disruption, complicating the path toward title contention for several fighters in the top ten.
• No word yet on whether Guskov will be matched with an alternate opponent or whether the bout will simply be dropped from the card.