UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz is excited by the prospect of handing Kiwi and middleweight champion Israel Adesanya the first loss of his career.
The Polish fighter will face either Adesanya or Brazilian Glover Teixeira in his next fight, which will likely take place in March next year.
Blachowicz won the light-heavyweight title in September, knocking out Dominic Reyes on UFC 'Fight Island', the same night Adesanya defended his middleweight crown against Paolo Costa.
Earlier this month, UFC boss Dana White said Adesanya would challenge Blachowicz in their next fight, but that was thrown into doubt after Teixeira called for a light heavyweight title shot after his win over Thiago Santos last weekend.
Teixeira secured his fifth-straight win by submitting Santos and he immedably asked why he hadn't got a title shot, and White thought he made a strong case.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, Blachowicz said he's willing to face either fighter, but he loves the idea of ending Adesanya's unbeaten 20-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC record.
"Glover is in my weight category, he's in the same place that I was in before, so also he deserves a title shot, but it's also good to fight against someone like Israel," says Blachowicz.
"To be the first one to beat him. That will also be a pleasure for me, so we'll see.
"Because he [Adesanya] will remember me for the rest of his life. When I beat him, he's gonna have this 20-1, and I'll always be the first one to beat him so it's really nice to beat someone the first time in his life."
Blachowicz had no plans to return to the Octagon this year with his partner expecting to give birth next month.
Adesanya was eyeing up one more fight in 2020, but as his trainer Eugene Bareman is helping Junior Fa prepare for his heavyweight boxing fight against Joseph Parker those plans were put to bed.
Adesanya is currently stranded overseas by the COVID-19 isolation travel voucher system.
The Nigerian-Kiwi travelled to the United States with teammate Brad Riddell to assist Carlos Ulberg in his UFC debut in Las Vegas last week.
The trio were scheduled to arrive back in New Zealand on Monday, but the recently introduced isolation voucher system meant they couldn't secure a place in quarantine until mid-December.
Blachowicz said he was shocked to be offered a fight against Adesanya.
"I was a little bit surprised [to be offered Adesanya], but I already knew that I cannot accept.
"I said, 'Okay, it's no problem, I can fight against him, but not in December.
I can fight against him in March, him or Glover'. They're both really good fighters, so it's going to be an honour for me to fight against Israel or Glover.
"We'll see what the UFC gives me. I'm going to be ready for everybody, so it doesn't matter. We'll see."
