Curtis Blaydes returned to England at UFC 304 where there was still a score to settle with fellow top heavyweight Tom Aspinall.
The two men first met back in 2022 where the fight only lasted 15 seconds following an unfortunate injury to the Brit.
With Aspinall holding the interim heavyweight title and being keen to run this one back, the stage was set for Manchester on July 27.
In the short time that their initial encounter lasted, Blaydes had some success with his striking even if it was only a few quick exchanges.
He wasn’t able to show any of his grappling skills that would surely be a pivotal factor in the rematch.
Curtis Blaydes Reflects On What Went Wrong At UFC 304
Once again at UFC 304, Blaydes wasn’t able to really test Aspinall’s wrestling which is where “Razor” holds the clearest advantage.
He stood with his opponent which is always a dangerous game considering the timing, speed and power that the interim champ brings to the table.
As the opening minute came to a close, Blaydes became the latest man to fall to Aspinall within the first round.
He recently reflected on the fight and what went wrong for him in an interview with James Lynch for Inside Fighting.
The former title challenger said that after landing some strikes of his own early on, his original game plan went out the window in that moment.
“He starts fast, that’s the biggest thing, that’s what we knew heading into it and I kinda tossed out the game plan. We had a game plan that I was going to engage with the wrestling and engage with the clinch but I touched him early on and adrenaline kicked in and I just tossed out the game plan.
There’s no excuse, he was the better man that night, all the praise goes to him. He landed the shot, he pounced, he got the TKO and I mean, if I gotta lose, it’s not like he’s a bum so.”
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