While Jan Blachowicz was recovering from the most serious injuries of his distinguished career, he decided to do something memorable.
During his 20 months away from the octagon following surgery on both shoulders, the former UFC light-heavyweight champion decided to enter a reality television show.
For one month, the Pole raced across the Philippines and Thailand on foot… without a home, food, money or a phone.
Of the 12 two-person teams who took part in the show, Blachowicz and his team-mate came first.
“It was a great adventure to survive without a phone and without money, finding a place to sleep and asking people for help – it was an amazing experience,” he said.
“One time we found a place to sleep after 10 minutes of looking, another day you ask people for help but they say ‘no’, and it can take four to five hours to find a place.
“Normally you don’t spend your holidays like this. After three days people would say ‘enough, I will go to a hotel now’. I survived a whole month – we won this show, me and my friend.”
On Saturday at UFC London at the O2 Arena, the 42-year-old returns for the first time since a split-decision defeat by Alex Pereira in 2023 when he takes on New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg in the co-main event.
Blachowicz, who won his only UFC title in 2020 before making one successful defence, says the experience in Asia felt like a “detox”.
“It’s weird and funny because a lot of adventures happen, but I am happy I have a shower at my home, a warm place and food in the fridge,” he added.
“Now I appreciate the simple things more – I don’t need a fancy car. I appreciate a shower because some people, they didn’t have a shower, it was a home with nothing and you sleep on the floor.
“A lot of the places were very poor, so I appreciate the simple things.”
Blachowicz experienced some difficult moments during his rehabilitation following double shoulder surgery, adding he “felt worse three months after surgery than he did before”.
“You’re not 20 years old anymore – you just have to wait a little longer and it will be good,” the doctors advised him.
Eventually, he started to feel better, before taking his place on the reality show.
The difficulties Blachowicz faced in recovery during the twilight of his career would have forced many athletes into retirement, but he has a simply reason for fighting on.
“Because I want to. I miss the feelings that happen in fight week, the emotions,” he added.
“I like fighting, I don’t have to do it, I can stop right now because I have a lot of things I could do. But I want to do it, I love to do it.”
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