"Guskov has since fallen out of his top 10 ranking, but gets another chance at a big jump when facing #5 Jan Blachowicz this weekend. "Obviously, I thought about having somebody with a name to fight, but I was surprised it was Jan specifically," Guskov stated during Wednesday's UFC 323 media day. "I thought somebody maybe in the top 7-8 rank, but not Blachowicz. I was very surprised, and I hope that I'll do diligence to this opportunity.""
"As a former champion, Blachowicz introduces a unique skillset and fighting style. The Polish veteran often controls the pace and traps opponents with his power. Guskov plans to deal with this tricky style in his own way, "I can't talk for other fighters, why they were following his pace or whatever. What I can say about his legendary Polish Power is that I'll have to counter it with my Russian or Uzbek IQ and my speed, and we'll see how the fight goes.""
""I don't think it has to do with me personally as a person. I think it's more my fighting style. If you look at my fights, there are lots of finishes, lots of knockouts, and the UFC is interested in that. So I think they see it, the crowd sees it, and they want me to get up to the title.""
Bogdan Guskov earned a top-10 light heavyweight ranking with a first-round KO of Nikita Krylov but later dropped from that spot and now faces #5 Jan Blachowicz. Guskov expressed surprise at drawing a former champion and says he will respect the opportunity. Blachowicz brings measured pace and power that often controls opponents, and Guskov plans to counter with speed and tactical IQ. Guskov credits his string of knockouts and finishes for continued high-profile matchups and hopes a win over Blachowicz will thrust him into the title conversation amid uncertainty at the division's top.
Read at Cageside Press
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