Jan Blachowicz-Israel Adesanya Light Heavyweight Title Bout Targeted for UFC 259

Israel Adesanya will attempt to become a two-division champion when he faces 205-pound king Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the booking to ESPN on Wednesday evening. UFC 259 takes place on March 6 and also includes a featherweight title tilt between Amanda Nunes and Megan Anderson, but the promotion has not yet announced a location for the event. Only seven fighters have been two-division UFC champions.

Adesanya is 20-0 to begin his professional career, including nine triumphs under the UFC banner. “The Last Stylebender” claimed the middleweight throne with a second-round knockout of Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 and has since defended the title with victories against Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa.

After a rough beginning to his promotional tenure in which he lost four of his first six appearances, Blachowicz captured the vacant light heavyweight belt with a second-round technical knockout of Dominick Reyes at UFC 253. The 37-year-old Pole has been victorious in eight of his last nine UFC bouts.