Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight mainstay Curtis Blaydes has orbited the title picture, oscillating between exercising patience and staying active while other names rose and sank through the ranks. Throughout his career, he has indicated and placed a premium on operating at an entirely different plane compared to his peers. In saying that, his approach is straightforward: Step inside the Octagon, secure victory without the concern of delivering a spectacle and repeat.
While Blaydes’ resume boasts several notable victories over divisional stalwarts, it perpetually appears as though he is on the cusp of earning a title shot with a couple of victories, only to somehow falter at pivotal junctures. At UFC 299 this Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, he has the opportunity to counter this notion by extinguishing the momentum of an ascending prospect. Scheduled to take on the streaking No. 7-ranked heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida, Blaydes can expect the fight to transpire in one of two probable ways: Lay the groundwork for Almeida to pursue the championship glory he once harbored or reaffirm his indomitable status as a contender unceasingly striving for the ultimate prize.
Ahead of Blaydes’ latest assignment inside the Octagon, a look at some of the rivalries that have shaped his career to this point:
Mark Hunt
Hunt embodied the essence of “blink and get floored” in the heavyweight division. Blaydes, who took on the king of walk-off knockouts at UFC 221, realized that he must maintain utmost vigilance and adhere to a solid strategy to secure a victory. While he had to endure some heavy shots in the opening frame, Blaydes swiftly adapted and employed his wrestling skills to seize control of the bout. Scoring 10 takedowns in their clash, Blaydes earned the victory built on a wrestling-heavy approach, dictating the pace on his way to a unanimous decision triumph.
Alistair Overeem
Overeem was a menacing figure standing in Blaydes’ path following the victory over Hunt. The pair locked horns at UFC 225, which would later become synonymous with one of his most remarkable triumphs. “Razor” methodically dissected his opponent while staying cognizant of Overeem’s potent striking arsenal. The American resorted to his reliable wrestling acumen, executing seamless takedowns and imposing ground control on Overeem. As the bout progressed, Blaydes amped up the ferocity and rumbled down punishing elbows from the top position. The referee quickly intervened to call an end to the contest at the 2:56 mark of the third round, granting Blaydes a decisive technical knockout victory.
Junior dos Santos
At UFC Fight Night 166, Blaydes proved his mettle against a former heavyweight champ in dos Santos and scored a dominant second-round technical knockout. The Brazilian was wise to Blaydes’ wrestling advances in the first frame, making it a closely contested affair. However, the American took on a commanding sway, capitalized on his striking momentum and delivered a powerful right hand that staggered Dos Santos. He followed up with several knees and devastating punches, clocking a TKO finish at 1:06 of the second round. Following the bout, Blaydes wasted no time in asserting his title aspirations.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Blaydes put on a suffocating display against Rozenstruik at UFC 266 despite a subdued reaction from the Las Vegas crowd. “Razor” orchestrated a ground-heavy strategy, repeatedly taking his opponent down over three grueling rounds. Rozenstruik did manage to generate some offense, landing a damaging knee that left Blaydes’ eye swollen. In the end, all the judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of “Razor.” The win marked Blaydes’ return to winning ways following a knockout loss to Derrick Lewis in his previous outing.