UFC 328 Scrambles to Find Replacement for Injured Jan Blachowicz

Manager confirms UFC has offered fight to rising Polish light heavyweight Iwo Baraniewski

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:06pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the chaotic action of a UFC light heavyweight fight, with sharp planes of color and form representing the dynamic movements of the fighters.A cubist interpretation of the scramble to find a replacement for the injured Jan Blachowicz at UFC 328.Las Vegas Today

The upcoming UFC 328 event took a hit when former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz announced he would not be able to compete due to a torn meniscus suffered in training. With Blachowicz out, the UFC is now looking to find a replacement opponent for Bogdan Guskov, who was set to face Blachowicz in the featured prelim bout. According to Blachowicz's manager Artur Gwozdz, the promotion has already offered the fight to rising Polish light heavyweight Iwo Baraniewski.

Why it matters

The loss of Blachowicz is a significant blow to the UFC 328 card, which is headlined by a welterweight title fight between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland. Finding a suitable replacement on short notice will be crucial to maintaining the event's quality and excitement for fans. Baraniewski represents an intriguing option, as the 27-year-old has made an impressive start to his UFC career with two first-round finishes.

The details

Jan Blachowicz, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, announced he would not be able to compete at UFC 328 due to a torn meniscus suffered in his final round of sparring. Blachowicz was set to face fellow top ten contender Bogdan Guskov in the featured prelim bout. With Blachowicz out, the UFC is now looking to find a replacement opponent for Guskov. According to Blachowicz's manager Artur Gwozdz, the promotion has already offered the fight to rising Polish light heavyweight Iwo Baraniewski. Baraniewski, who is currently 2-0 in the UFC, is coming off impressive first-round finishes over Ibo Alsan and Austen Lane.

  • Jan Blachowicz announced his withdrawal from UFC 328 on April 18, 2026.
  • UFC 328 is scheduled to take place on May 6, 2026.

The players

Jan Blachowicz

A former UFC light heavyweight champion who was scheduled to compete in the featured prelim bout at UFC 328 before suffering a torn meniscus in training.

Bogdan Guskov

A top ten UFC light heavyweight contender who was set to face Blachowicz in the featured prelim bout at UFC 328.

Iwo Baraniewski

A rising Polish light heavyweight prospect in the UFC, currently 2-0 in the promotion with two first-round finishes.

Artur Gwozdz

The manager of Jan Blachowicz, who confirmed the UFC has offered Baraniewski the fight against Guskov at UFC 328.

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What they’re saying

“The UFC has already sent this offer to my fighter, Iwo Baraniewski.”

— Artur Gwozdz, Manager of Jan Blachowicz

What’s next

The UFC will need to finalize whether Iwo Baraniewski will accept the offer to replace the injured Jan Blachowicz and face Bogdan Guskov at UFC 328 on May 6, 2026.

The takeaway

The loss of former champion Jan Blachowicz from the UFC 328 card is a significant blow, but the promotion is moving quickly to find a suitable replacement in rising Polish prospect Iwo Baraniewski. This fight offers a big opportunity for the 27-year-old Baraniewski to continue his momentum in the UFC's light heavyweight division.