Rising prospect steps in against former champion in new UFC Belgrade co-main event

The UFC has reshuffled its Belgrade card, with undefeated prospect Navajo Stirling stepping in to face former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the co-main event on August 1.

Blachowicz (29-11-2) was originally booked to rematch Bogdan Guskov but lost that opponent earlier this week when Guskov was pulled to replace Khalil Rountree in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi. Rather than leave the card, the 43-year-old Polish veteran will now face Stirling, marking his first fight against an unranked opponent since 2018.

Stirling (10-0), who trains at City Kickboxing, arrives undefeated with five straight UFC victories. His most recent win came via second-round finish over Ion Cutelaba at UFC Vegas 119. Though he lacks a ranking, the prospect's current momentum makes him a legitimate test for Blachowicz.

The former UFC and KSW champion is fighting through a rough stretch, having gone winless over his last four bouts. His most recent outing ended in a majority draw with Guskov at UFC 323 in December. The Belgrade event takes place at the Belgrade Arena and is headlined by a welterweight main event between Uros Medic and Daniel Rodriguez.