UFC Fight Night 287: 43-Year-Old Berates Hopeful Navajo Stirling
The Men's Light Heavyweight Division of the UFC will make a grand showing in Serbia at UFC Fight Night 287. The reason for this is the matchup between two fighters, Jan Błachowicz and Navajo Stirling. They're both accomplished warriors with a record of 29-11-2 and 10-0-0, respectively. Also, Błachowicz is 43 years old while Stirling is 28 years old. It is indeed a pairing of old bull versus young bull.
The 43-year-old fighter has been in the UFC since 2014 and became the champion of the Men's Lightweight Division in 2020, but lost it in 2022 at UFC 282. He appears to have no plans to retire either, but he has more draws and losses in his past five fights than wins. To avoid the possibility of losing in this bout, Błachowicz should concentrate on staying away from any significant strikes that may come from his opponent. He's not as agile as he was and could benefit from avoiding the strikes to lure in the 28-year-old to maneuver for a takedown. On average, he has 0.98 takedowns per 15 minutes of a fight.
The 28-year-old fighter will be ready for any takedowns to come his way. He may even look to take advantage of any forward movements that his opponent makes. This is because he lands 6.24 strikes per minute while only absorbing 2.62 strikes per minute. Both statistics are better than the opponent's, which makes for a deadly combination. He even has a higher takedown defense of 71%, making any takedown attempts likely fruitless.
This view of who will be successful in a takedown attempt is reflected in the overall prediction that Stirling will seize the win when the bell rings. In fact, he's been on a winning streak long before he was predicted to win against Ion Cutelaba. This is great for his career overall because if he fulfills the prediction to win here, he will not have lost a fight since 2024. If Błachowicz wants to upset this streak, he'll have to be artful and strategic with any takedowns he sees. This way, he could upset the momentum the 28-year-old fighter gains.
The momentum gained will be hard to disrupt as Stirling will be going from one strike to the next and not letting up on the ferocity. He will be swift, and as a river runs against a rock, he will be tested by a former champion. Expect the former champion to push the pace and make his opponent work for every round. Then, when the final bell tolls, it will be the 28-year-old who will win by decision. A decision best viewed Saturday, September 5th, 2026, on Paramount+ at 1:00 p.m. EDT!
