Jan Blachowicz wasn’t amused with Bryce Mitchell’s controversial comments.
In January, the UFC featherweight contender caused an uproar that stretched beyond the MMA world. Mitchell, 30, ranted at length about his belief that Adolf Hitler “was a good guy based upon my own research,” and that he’d probably enjoy going fishing with the late German dictator.
Mitchell’s comments garnered a barrage of backlash throughout the sporting community, including a public denouncement from UFC CEO Dana White. Other voices, like former UFC light heavyweight champion and proud Poland native Blachowicz, invited Mitchell through social media to visit Warsaw and learn the history behind the atrocities Hitler committed on the world.
Blachowicz, 42, said Wednesday on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show” that it just felt like the right thing to do given the extraordinary level of ignorance being showcased with Mitchell’s platform.
“I just feel that I have to do it again, one more time, to remind people about the history and what’s happened, and how bad Hitler was and how bad war is. Very bad,” Blachowicz said.
Blachowicz is no stranger in trying to educate his American coworkers on historical events outside of the North American purview. Prior to Mitchell, Blachowicz took issue with comments made by controversial UFC middleweight Sean Strickland on the Ukraine-Russia war in 2022, during which Strickland proclaimed that “Ukraine should just bend the knee and become Russian.”
Blachowicz said the feedback he received from his response to Mitchell was “99%” supportive.
Mitchell released a statement on social media apologizing if he “sounded insensitive” and has since remained relatively quiet on the matter, though Blachowicz doesn’t know how genuine that apology really was.
“I invite him, if he wants to come to Poland, and then I can show him everything, if he wants,” Blachowicz said. “We’ll see. I hope so, he will understand. Maybe he can grab some book and read about these bad times. I hope so, maybe. I believe.
“I don’t think [he was apologetic], but I don’t know. I don’t know, I hope so. Maybe if he doesn’t understand, maybe different people [do] understand, and they check what’s happened — what was. So maybe if he is not so smart to understand that, then maybe different people are.”
“In the media he says, ‘I apologize,’ but maybe when he goes to sleep and he stops thinking, he feels bad, you know? This is also good,” Blachowicz concluded.
As for Blachowicz’s own career, it’s been a good while since the former champ last entered the Octagon. It might feel longer considering who his opponent was and what they’ve done in that timeframe.
At UFC 291 in July 2023, Blachowicz welcomed former UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira to the 205-pound division, fighting to a split decision loss. While Pereira went on to become UFC light heavyweight champion and notch three successful title defenses, Blachowicz has been sidelined, dealing with injuries to both of his shoulders and contemplating retirement because of their severity.
Blachowicz was vocal in his belief that he beat Pereira and repeatedly called for a rematch in the months after facing the Brazilian striker. Having seen Pereira finally fall to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 this past Saturday, Blachowicz was somewhat surprised, but not happy to see his old foe’s demise.
“I always said that, for me, it was 50-50, with little bit more on the Pereira side,” Blachowicz said of his prediction for the fight. “But every day, when the fight was closer, I think that maybe Ankalaev can do it.
“I wish [Pereira] the best. I don’t have bad blood with him, so [it] was great journey for him. It’s not the end. He just lost one fight, so I think he will be back. It was amazing what he did in this short time.”
Next on the docket for Blachowicz’s long-awaited comeback will be the surging Kiwi contender Carlos Ulberg in UFC London’s co-main event on March 22.
A win for either contender could comfortably position them as a strong candidate to potentially challenge for the light heavyweight title. And Blachowicz has a picture-perfect roadmap in mind.
“I was happy,” Blachowicz said of the Ulberg matchup. “I chose the place and the time, they send me Carlos Ulberg, I say, ‘OK.’ After his fight against [Volkan] Oezdemir, I [thought my next fight was going to] be him. I’m happy, seven wins in a row. Young, good fighter. It’s time to stop him. I’m happy. In this part of my career, it’s very good fight for me.
“I’m going to have title shot against Ankalaev [after]. First of all, I focus only about Ulberg. I believe that I’m going to beat him, and if you ask me what’s going to be next, only this — we’ve got our story, unfinished business, we have to finish. But first of all, I focus only about my next one.
“I beat Ulberg, then I take a title shot against Ankalaev,” he concluded. “I beat Ankalaev and rematch against Pereira. I defend the belt against Pereira. Perfect scenario for me, I create in my head.”
