Jan Blachowicz returns for a rematch with Bogdan Guskov at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1

UFC has officially booked a rematch for UFC Belgrade, set for Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, at Belgrade Arena in Serbia, with Jan Blachowicz taking on Bogdan Guskov again after the matchup was first held earlier and is now being scheduled as a standalone course-correction.

Blachowicz, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, will step into the cage for what the promotion is positioning as a second act against a Top 10-ranked contender in Guskov. The event adds a clear feature fight to a card that UFC is building around established championship experience, paired with a rising contender profile.

The booking also comes with a recovery storyline for Blachowicz. Yahoo Sports reported that he had been “all patched up” after suffering a torn meniscus during training camp, implying the injury briefly complicated his availability but is no longer expected to keep him from the rematch.

For Guskov, the rematch represents a chance to capitalize on the momentum of being placed among the division’s upper echelon. Entering the fight as a Top 10 opponent, the Serbian-stage encounter also carries a practical edge, giving him a high-visibility target for leverage in a division that routinely rewards fighters who can defeat former titleholders.

The UFC Belgrade matchup is framed as “Let’s try this again,” a phrase that underscores a disrupted preparation and the importance of timing in combat sports. When a camp is impacted by a meniscus injury, it affects training intensity and the ability to fine-tune the specifics that separate a good performance from a winning one, particularly in a heavy-weighted division like light heavyweight.

Blachowicz’s return sets up an immediate test of how much the injury resolution changes his movement and conditioning under fight-week pressure. If he is close to full speed, the rematch can turn into a methodical showcase of veteran control; if the knee is still limiting, Guskov’s ability to pressure and occupy space becomes a more central storyline.

UFC has not provided additional details in the material available here beyond confirming the matchup and the Aug. 1 date and location. The next items to watch are the official event breakdown as UFC posts full card information and, closer to fight night, any clarifications on how Blachowicz and Guskov approach the tactical adjustments that a rematch requires.