UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić may be best known for his striking, but he wants his grappling to resemble an all-time great.
Rakić is slated to face former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in a potential No. 1 contender fight on March 26. He’s long called for the title shot but will get the next best thing in facing the recently dethroned champion.
Rakić is mainly known to have elite kickboxing skills inside the Octagon, as evidenced by knockouts over Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark.
During an exclusive interview with MMA News’ James Lynch, Rakić revealed that fans shouldn’t sleep on his grappling ahead of the biggest fight of his career.
Aleksandar Rakić Prepared For Everything With Jan Blachowicz
“I’m gonna be ready to wrestle 25 minutes, I’m gonna be ready to grapple or to strike against him,” Rakić said. “It depends what Jan is gonna give me. This I’m gonna see in the first minutes or the first round or the second round. I’m gonna be prepared for everything, and I know for myself, I’m improving all of the aspects of the fight.
“I want to be the next Georges St-Pierre, to be the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC roster in the light heavyweight division, and I’m in a good way for doing that.”
Rakić is coming off of back-to-back wins over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. The 29-year-old light heavyweight contender has burst into title contention since making his UFC debut back in 2017.
Living up to the wrestling prowess of Georges St-Pierre will not be an easy task for Rakić. St-Pierre is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time and one of the best grapplers in the sport’s history.
However, one thing is clear when it comes to evaluating Rakić’s potential: he’s aiming to be one of the best light heavyweights in the sport. If he’s able to put on another impressive performance against Blachowicz, fans will start taking more notice of his wide-ranging skill set.
What is your prediction for Aleksandar Rakić vs. Jan Blachowicz?
