Short notice call leads to landmark win
Called up with under three weeks to prepare, Navajo Stirling made the most of a late opportunity by stopping former UFC light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz inside the opening round at UFC Fight Night in Belgrade.
The 28-year-old Kiwi landed a heavy right overhand that sent the 43-year-old Polish veteran backwards. Stirling followed with punches and elbows as Blachowicz tried to protect himself on the canvas, with the referee intervening before the round ended to declare a technical knockout.
What happened in the ring
- Stirling answered the fight call less than three weeks before the bout.
- He opened by pressing the action and absorbed a counter that buckled him but continued forward.
- A decisive overhand right led to ground strikes and a stoppage in under three minutes of the first round.
“The thing about fighting is it all starts [in your mind]. If you can see it, you can make it happen,” Stirling said in his post-fight interview.
The victory moves Stirling to 11-0 professionally and sets him up to climb the divisional rankings once official updates are published. For Blachowicz, a fighter who had rarely been finished early in his long career, the result represents a significant setback.
Quick reference: fight details
| Fighter | Age | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Navajo Stirling | 28 | TKO (1st round) |
| Jan Blachowicz | 43 | Loss |
Stirling had already registered two TKO wins earlier in 2026 and said before the contest that he wanted to make this year his breakthrough. With this performance against a former champion, his claim gains weight.
The win is likely to change Stirling's standing in the light-heavyweight picture and place him closer to opportunities higher up the rankings. For supporters and those tracking his progress, the result will be seen as a defining moment that could accelerate plans for bigger fights in the months ahead.
Sources for this report include post-fight comments and published fight coverage from the event in Belgrade.
