Navajo Stirling Cracks Top 10 After Blachowicz Knockout

Navajo Stirling debuted at No. 6 in the UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight rankings after his sub-three-minute knockout of Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade on Saturday, vaulting straight into title contention while the Polish veteran slides further toward the exit.

Stirling accepted the Belgrade co-main event on less than three weeks' notice after original opponent Bogdan Guskov was pulled to replace an injured Khalil Rountree, MMA Fighting reports. The undefeated 28-year-old made quick work of Blachowicz despite the short camp and massive step up in competition. Blachowicz, now 43, entered the cage on a winless streak of two losses and two draws dating back to May 2022, when Aleksandar Rakic suffered an injury in their fight.

Stirling's Path to Title Shot Complicated by Teammate Ulberg

Stirling shares the No. 6 ranking with PFL heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson. He sits one spot outside the top five while still developing toward his prime. His path to a title shot is complicated by friend and teammate Carlos Ulberg holding the UFC belt, but Stirling appears positioned to challenge for the division's top spot in the near future.

Blachowicz dropped four positions to No. 10, closer now to falling out of the rankings entirely than to the top spot he once held. Commentator Jon Anik revealed during Blachowicz's walkout that the former champion can no longer lift weights due to excessive discomfort, per MMA Fighting. Blachowicz last scored a definitive win in March 2021, when he defended his light heavyweight title against Israel Adesanya and handed the middleweight king his first career MMA loss.

Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker also entered the light heavyweight rankings after his successful divisional debut against Nikita Krylov at UFC 329. Aleksandar Rakic fell out of the rankings after moving to heavyweight.

Photo: The White House / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Rankings Shakeup: Navajo Stirling rises, Jan Blachowicz at crossroads | MMA Fighting