Croatian light heavyweight Igor Pokrajac - 28-12, 15 KOs, 9 SUBs - will return to the octagon after a regional stint to fight in his hometown of Zagreb. The 38-year old ATT fighter meets Poland’s Jan Blachowicz - 18-5, 5 KOs, 7 SUBs - in a main card tilt featuring two go-for-broke fighters.
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Light Heavyweights
Igor Pokrajac vs. Jan Blachowicz
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THE STAKES
Pokrajac is being a gifted an opportunity by the UFC - the promotion wants to put hometown fighters on its first venture into Croatia. He fought in the octagon from 2009-2014, but was sent packing after a five-fight winless streak. After compiling three wins in regional European competition, he’s getting one last shot at the big show.
Blachowicz wants to get back on track after two straight losses to Jimi Manuwa and Corey Anderson. Both those guys are top-15 fighters, so there’s nothing to be ashamed of there. Still, a 1-2 record in the octagon doesn’t give you much job security. He has to prove that he can beat mid-tier opposition like Pokrajac.
FIGHT ANALYSIS
Pokrajac is your typical sprawl-and-brawler. He wants to keep the fight on the feet at all costs and get cracking. Five years ago, he was pretty damn good at it and always a threat to land a knockout. Now just shy of forty, he’s lost some of the speed and power that allowed him to find success with that formula.
The fact that Pokrajac was able to notch three straight stoppages outside of the victory shows that he’s still good enough to beat low-level opposition, but fighting UFC talent is a whole different story.
Blachowicz is a superb technical boxer who operates behind a crisp jab and a left hook. Like most boxers, he doesn’t handle pressure so well, preferring to chip away at range. When he can dictate the range, he looks like a top-10 guy. In terms of technique, Blachowicz is far superior to Pokrajac.
PREDICTION
Unfortunately, it really doesn’t look like Pokrajac can score a win for his hometown. While both men are strikers, Pokrajac is at a physical disadvantage when it comes to height, age and speed. There is a chance that he plants one on Blachowicz’ chin, but the more likely outcome is that he gets picked apart by the Pole’s crisp boxing-and ultimately knocked out.
BLACHOWICZ KO POKRAJAC, ROUND 3
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Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! You can even wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Money lines, totals, props and money line are all available now. UFC Fight Night 86 takes place on April 10, 2016 at the Zagreb Arena in Zagreb, Croatia. The card will be televised on Fox Sports 1 starting 2 p.m. ET
