Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic Fight Betting: Back the underdog at the UFC Apex

On Saturday, Jan Blachowicz steps into the octagon to face long-term rival Aleksandar Rakic on UFC Fight Night from the UFC Apex in Nevada.

Lovers of combat sports have an action-packed weekend ahead with this mixed martial arts card backed up by an intriguing encounter in Carson. Jermell Charlo and Brian Castano decide the super welterweight world titles, and you’ll find both fight nights covered on this site.

Here we focus on the MMA action and the main event where Rakic is favourite to defeat Blachowicz and add another important win to his title. Our team of fight game writers preview, offering expert betting tips and tips on which online bookmakers are offering the best odds.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic Betting Odds and Fight Information

• The headline bout will be fought at light heavyweight and will be the second attempt after an original meeting was postponed due to injury.
• Jan Blachowicz is the former UFC champion of the division and the organisation’s first male Polish champion.
• Aleksandar Rakic is an Austrian-born MMA professional and is currently ranked as the number three light heavyweight in the world.
• Venue & Location: UFC Apex (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Date: Saturday, May 14, 2022
• Start Time: The UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Rakic main card is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time (4:00 p.m. local time), and the Blachowicz vs. Rakic fight should start at approximately 10:15 p.m. ET (7:15 p.m. local time).

Blachowicz vs. Rakic Betting Odds

Odds are from Bovada Sportsbook and are as of Thursday, May 12.

Moneyline

• Blachowicz to win +160
• Rakic to win -190

Total Rounds Over/Under

• Over 2.5 rounds (-180)
• Under 2.5 rounds (+140)
• Over 3.5 rounds (-120)
• Under 3.5 rounds (-110)
• Over 4.5 rounds (+105)
• Under 4.5 rounds (-135)

Blachowicz lost his title last time out

Blachowicz heads into this contest, looking to get his career back on track after he lost his last bout and the UFC light heavyweight championship belt. That defeat came against Glover Teixeira on UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi.

That was a bitter pill to swallow for a dethroned champion who had won his previous five matches and was shaping to become a long-term ruler of the division. Champions are made by how they respond to a loss, and all eyes will be on the Pole to see if he comes back stronger.

The fighter from Warsaw is expected to do just that, with his fans backing him to make a quickfire return to winning ways while edging closer to the rematch he wants. If he can get the desired result in this bout, Jan will aim to regain his title before the end of the year, and that’s achievable.

Fight Record for Jan Blachowicz

• 28 wins and nine defeats
• 11 wins by decision, nine by submission and eight by KO
• Five losses by decision, two by submission and two by KO

The pressure is on Blachowicz as the former champ knows there’s much more than one fight at stake here; it’s his entire career and prospects of becoming champion again.

A win is the most important factor of this outing, but he’s in with a tough opponent and deserves credit for jumping back in at the deep end.

All too often, we see a champion lose his belt, return to the drawing board intent on improving before taking a warm-up contest against a lesser opponent. No one would have blamed Jan for taking that route, but it’s not the man he is and not the champion he wants to be remembered as.

Rakic has a shot at glory

All the talk during the build-up to this contest has focused on how the former champion from Poland will respond to that loss and how much he has left in the tank, allowing Rakic to fly under the radar. This is a fantastic opportunity for the man from Vienna to beat a former UFC champion and show he belongs at the top level.

The 30-year-old stands at an imposing 6ft 5inches tall, weighing 205lbs and has a 16-fight record which shows 14 wins against two defeats. His victories are organised by nine knockouts, four on points and one submission, while his losses are one submission and one points verdict.

Fight record for Aleksandar Rakic

• 14 wins against two defeats
• Nine wins by KO, four by decision and one submission
• One loss on points and one by submission

He enters the biggest test of his career following back to back wins, beating Anthony Smith on points at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas before impressing the judges when facing Thiago Santos last time in Sin City. He has momentum behind his work and has lost only one of his last 15 outings.

An interesting stat concerning Rakic is he lost his first MMA fight by submission back in 2011, but he didn’t let that derail his plans, believing he had what it takes to reach the top. A series of eye-catching wins won him a place in the UFC, and the Austrian is well on his way to becoming champion.

The only man to beat him in the last 15 bouts was Volkan Oezdemir on UFC Fight Night in Busan, South Korea, on the undercard of Edgar v the Korean Zombie in 2020. That was a split decision loss, with many supporters and pundits believing the beaten man had done enough to get the nod.

Head-to-Head Stats & Trends for Blachowicz vs. Rakic

This will be a fascinating fight, and if you are lucky enough to visit the arena and take in this bout or you are watching the live TV coverage courtesy of ESPN, we advise taking your seat early. We are expecting a bout for the MMA purists out there, with both men relying on skill rather than power.

We are interested to see how Jan recovers from losing his title, but it was talent that took him to the top of the division, and he hasn’t become a bad fighter overnight. There is still plenty of ambition left in the Pole, and his experience should see him prove that.

A fight against Rakic certainly won’t be easy, and many are predicting the Austrian will win, but we’re happy to take a chance on Blachowicz.

He must be at his best to get the win and put on a show that will convince promoters he’s ready for another title shot, but we are confident he can come through this battle unscathed.

Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic Betting Tip – Blachowicz to win +160 (Bovada Sportsbook)

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