Navajo Stirling Cements Contender Status with Stunning KO Over Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade

Navajo Stirling has arrived. The undefeated light heavyweight contender made a major statement in Saturday’s UFC Belgrade co-main event, scoring a first-round knockout over former UFC champion and current top 10 contender Jan Blachowicz. Stirling entered Belgrade Arena as a significant favorite, but still had a tall hill to climb given that Blachowicz represented a considerable step up in competition for the New Zealand prospect. However, Stirling made it look easy, needing less than three minutes to hurt Blachowicz on the feet and finish him with heavy ground-and-pound. Stirling looks like the real deal at 205 pounds, though his title hopes are complicated by the UFC light heavyweight title currently being around the waist of City Kickboxing teammate Carlos Ulberg. Pros were wowed by Stirling’s win and no matter who he faces next, he does so as a legitimate threat to win the gold. "Dang, Stirling just cemented himself as a contender," former UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad wrote on Twitter. See more social media reactions from the pros below. Muhammad continued, "Dang sterling just cemented himself as a contender." Henry Cejudo also reacted to the finish, tweeting, "What a shot by Navajo!!" Mike Perry expressed his approval, stating, "Brutal win, 11-0 for @navajostirling 👏." Michael Chiesa noted a significant achievement, writing, "Navajo Stirling breaks the record for most first round finishes at a single UFC event in the modern era. #UFCSerbia." Another reaction came from Mairon Santos, who posted, "Navajo Stirling é bom, tá?" The event took place at Belgrade Arena on August 01, 2026, in Belgrade, Serbia, with Stirling representing New Zealand and Blachowicz representing Poland in a light heavyweight bout. Stirling's performance was particularly impressive given Blachowicz's status as a former champion and a highly-ranked contender. The speed and efficiency with which Stirling secured the knockout underscored his potential in the division. His victory over a seasoned veteran like Blachowicz signals his readiness for top-level competition and positions him as a credible threat to the current light heavyweight champion, Carlos Ulberg, who also hails from the City Kickboxing gym.