Should Aleksandar Rakić be Next in Line for a Title Shot?

Aleksandar Rakić is a mixed martial artist currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the Light Heavyweight division. The Austrian has been a professional fighter since 2011 and has made great strides in the sport, rising to number 6 in the UFC Light Heavyweight rankings at the time of writing.

You only have to go back to UFC 259, which was staged on the 6th of March, to find the last time Rakić was in action. He came up against Thiago Santos in Las Vegas and won the contest by unanimous decision. The victory built on the previous success against Anthony Smith at UFC Fight Night in August 2020 and Rakić is keen to make up for the loss suffered at the hands of Volkan Oezdemir in South Korea.

Following the unanimous decision over Thiago Santos, Rakić made it clear he would like a shot at the Light Heavyweight title. The victory over Santos was not the most entertaining contest but the Austrian managed to keep Santos at bay for the three rounds thanks to his punches and kicks. Come the end of the fight, the judges scores read 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 in favour of Rakić. 

Speaking prior to the fight, Rakić said, “I’ve been working so hard for this fight. There’s no way that I lose this fight,” Rakić said afterwards. “The game plan was to keep the distance, to reach him with the long punches. We know Thiago is a sledgehammer. The game plan was to keep the distance and pick him apart. I want my chance to get a title. This is the third former title challenger for me and I beat all of them.”

Despite the hint of a comeback from Santos in the final round, Rakić had done enough in the previous two rounds to secure the victory. The Austrian did not have to take a great deal of damage, despite the pick-up in intensity from his opponent. However, due to the nature of the performance, it remains unclear whether it will be enough to see Rakić be awarded a title shot in the near future.

You will be the first to know if Rakić is to be rewarded with a title shot by following UFC picks and predictions. You will find all the latest information regarding the biggest upcoming UFC matches, with previews and the latest odds. Many of the leading online sportsbooks are listed, including BetMGM, William Hill, and DraftKings, so there is plenty of choice when it comes to betting on UFC matches. The question remains, will we see Rakić competing for a title in his next fight?

On the same night Rakić defeated Santos, current Light Heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz took on current UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. It was the Polish man who came out on top, winning the fight via unanimous decision, and in doing so, he became the first person to defeat Adesanya in mixed martial arts.

Therefore, at the time of writing, it seems as though competing for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship maybe a step too far for Rakić considering the level of the opponent. However, it is worth keeping in mind Santos, the man recently defeated by Rakić, beat Błachowicz in February 2019. Nonetheless, there are a few names above Rakić in the current UFC Light Heavyweight rankings who will be hoping for a shot at the title. Glover Teixeira of Brazil, Dominick Reyes of the United States, and Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic currently occupy third, fourth, and fifth in the rankings at the time of writing.

Speaking about his chances of a title opportunity, Rakić said “I’m young, I’m hungry, I fight well, I have a good record, and I’m representing the sport the best way. I’m a good guy.”