While Jan Błachowicz was recovering from the most severe injury of his distinguished career, he decided to do something memorable. The former UFC light heavyweight champion chose to participate in a reality show during the 20 months he spent away from the Octagon after undergoing double shoulder surgery.
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03-22, 2025For a month, the Polish fighter trekked through the Philippines and Thailand without shelter, food, money, or a cell phone. Błachowicz and his teammate ultimately finished first out of the 12 pairs participating in the program, demonstrating their resilience and teamwork.
"Surviving without a phone and money, looking for a place to sleep and asking people for help, it was a great adventure, it was an amazing experience," he said. "One time, we were looking for a place to sleep for 10 minutes, another day you ask people for help but they say 'no,' and maybe it takes four or five hours to find a place."
"Usually you don't spend your holidays like that. After three days people would say 'enough, I'm going to a hotel now.' I lived like that for a whole month—and my friend and I won the show." This Saturday, the 42-year-old will return at UFC London at the O2 Arena, his first appearance since a split decision loss to Alex Pereira in 2023, where he will face New Zealand's Carlos Ulberg in the co-main event.
Błachowicz won his only UFC title in 2020 and successfully defended it once. He said the experience in Asia felt like a "detox." "It was strange and funny because there were a lot of adventures, but I'm happy that I have a shower at home, a warm place, and food in the fridge," he added.
"Now I appreciate simple things more—I don't need a fancy car. I appreciate a shower because some people don't have a shower, that's a home where there's nothing, you sleep on the floor. A lot of places are poor, so I appreciate simple things." This experience gave him a new perspective on life and gratitude for the comforts he once took for granted.
Błachowicz experienced some difficult moments during his recovery from double shoulder surgery, and "three months after the surgery it felt worse than before." The doctors advised him: "You're not 20 years old anymore—you just need to wait longer, and everything will be okay." Eventually, he started feeling better, and then he participated in the reality show.
At this late stage of his career, the difficulties Błachowicz faced during his recovery would have led many athletes to retire, but his reason for continuing to fight is simple. "Because I want to do it. I miss the feeling that happens fight week, those emotions," he added. "I like to fight. I don't have to do it, I can stop now because I have a lot of things to do. But I want to do it—I like to do it."
