UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Rakic: Everything You Need to Know

LockerRoom Team

12 May 2022

UFC returns to UFC APEX with UFC Vegas 54 also known as UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Rakic. The event will have a thrilling light heavyweight contenders’ battle that will see former champion and current No. 1 ranked Jan Blachowicz take on surging No. 3 Aleksandar Rakic. In the co-main event, No. 13 ranked light heavyweight Ryan Spann battles dangerous striker Ion Cutelaba.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT: BLACHOWICZ vs. RAKIC will take place Saturday, May 14 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, as well as simulcast in English and Spanish on ESPN+, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic Preview

Blachowicz (28-9, fighting out of Warsaw, Poland) aims to kick off his 2022 campaign with another spectacular KO victory. During his UFC run, he has delivered memorable wins against Israel Adesanya, Dominick Reyes and Luke Rockhold. Blachowicz now looks to stop Rakic’s momentum with a show-stealing performance and set himself up for another crack at the championship.

ALSO READ | Jan Blachowicz: The Story of his rise to the UFC Light Heavyweight Title

Rakic (14-2, fighting out of Vienna, Austria) hopes to keep his momentum going following victories over former title challengers Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. A well-rounded competitor with KO power, he has also secured notable stoppage victories over Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark. Rakic now hopes to take out a former champion and stake his claim for his first UFC title shot.

Ryan Spann vs. Ion Cutelaba Preview

Spann (19-7, fighting out of Beaumont, Texas) plans to turn heads with another highlight-reel victory. A Dana White’s Contender Series veteran, he has earned exciting finishes against Misha Cirkunov, Devin Clark and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Spann now intends to defend his spot in the Top 15 by stopping Cutelaba in an emphatic fashion.

Heavy-handed Cutelaba (16-6-1 1NC, fighting out of Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) is gunning for the biggest victory of his career. An aggressive striker, he has delivered thrilling knockouts over Khalil Rountree Jr., Gadzhimurad Antigulov and Henrique da Silva. Cutelaba now has his sights set on finishing Spann to crack the light heavyweight Top 15.

Additional bouts on the card include:

Davey Grant (13-6, fighting out of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, England) battles Louis Smolka (17-8, fighting out of Kapolei, Hawaii) in an exciting bantamweight matchup

No. 2 ranked women’s flyweight contender Katlyn Chookagian (17-4, fighting out of Amity Harbor, N.Y. by way of Quakertown, Penn.) looks to spoil the 125-pound return of No. 8 strawweight Amanda Ribas (11-2, fighting out of Varginha, Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Frank Camacho (22-9, fighting out of Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands) faces debuting Dana White’s Contender Series signee Manuel Torres (12-2, fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico)

Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Jake Hadley (8-0, fighting out of Oldbury, Sandwell, England) debuts against Allan Nascimento (17-6, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) in a flyweight bout

No. 8 ranked women’s flyweight contender Viviane Araujo (10-3, fighting out of Brasília, Federal District, Brazil) takes on Andrea Lee (13-5, fighting out of Shreveport, La.)

Fan-favorite Michael Johnson (20-17, fighting out of St. Louis, Mo.) returns to action against Alan Patrick (15-3 1NC, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) at lightweight

No. 11 ranked strawweight contender Virna Jandiroba (17-3, fighting out of Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil) collides with No. 12 Angela Hill (13-11, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.)

Undefeated flyweight Tatsuro Taira (10-0, fighting out of Naha, Okinawa, Japan) debuts against Dana White’s Contender Series contract winner Carlos Candelario (8-1, fighting out of Hartford, Conn.)

Undefeated Nick Maximov (8-0, fighting out of Stockton, Calif.) squares off with The Ultimate Fighter season 28 veteran Andre Petroski (7-2, fighting out of Philadelphia, Penn.)

UFC Vegas 54 Fight Card:

Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Ryan Spann vs. Ion Cutelaba
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Amanda Ribas
Davey Grant vs. Louis Smolka
Frank Camacho vs. Manuel Torres
Jake Hadley vs. Allan Nascimento

UFC Vegas 54 Under Card:

Viviane Araujo vs. Andrea Lee
Michael Johnson vs. Alan Patrick
Virna Jandiroba vs. Angela Hill
Tatsuro Taira vs. Carlos Candelario
Nick Maximov vs. Andre Petroski

How to watch UFC Vegas 54 in India | UFC Fight Night India Time

Watch the LIVE coverage of UFC Fight Night - Blachowicz vs Rakic on SONY TEN 2 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) and SONY TEN 4 (Tamil and Telugu) channels on 15th May 2022 from 7:30 am (IST).

What are your predictions? Let us know in the comments below.

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