2020-09-27 16:28 update: 2020-10-02, 11:22
Polish mixed martial arts fighter Jan Blachowicz. Phot. PAP/Leszek Szymański
Polish mixed martial arts fighter Jan Blachowicz became the first Pole to win the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) in a bout in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Blachowicz took the world championship title on Sunday morning in the UAE capital at the UFC 243 light heavyweight competition, beating American Dominick Reyes in the second round.
Thirty-seven-year-old Jan Blachowicz, known as the 'Prince of Cieszyn,' his hometown, has been competing in the UFC since 2014. At first he lost more often than he won but in the last three years he has suffered only one defeat and his current Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) score is 27-8 (8 knockouts, 9 submissions) and in the UFC 10-5.
Both the president, Andrzej Duda, and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki took to Twitter to congratulate Poland's latest champion, with Duda writing "we cross our fingers for further successes."
Morawiecki tweeted: "Legendary Polish strength! The Prince of Cieszyn! These are the praises that resound today in the world of mixed martial arts after the cosmic victory of Polish champion Jan Blachowicz. The Pole simply smashed his favoured rival to become UFC world champion."
"It was a red-and-white night in Abu Dhabi," the PM's tweet continued. "We cannot dream of a better promotion of Poland than through a beautiful sporting victory. Jan, congratulations. A great job."
For over two years the female straw-weight UFC champion has been Polish fighter Joanna Jedzejczyk. (PAP)
