Curtis Blaydes issued an apology after his defeat at UFC 304.
The American who was expected to be Aspinall’s toughest opponent suffered heartbreak at UFC 304.
After such a performance the question remains what is next for Curtis Blaydes in his UFC career.
Disappointment for Curtis Blaydes
Following on from the disappointment from the weekend Curtis Blaydes released a statement on Instagram to his fans. The message said; “Sorry guys, I got greedy when I touched him early and threw out the amazing game plan that my coaches Vinnie Lopez [and] Cody Donovan came up with that would’ve worked I’m sure of it.”
“No excuses Tom was on point tonight I know this isn’t the end of my journey but damnit, I know I’m better than tonight’s performance.
“I appreciate all the support truly it’s been an eye opening experience to have so many people rocking with me.”
In the lead-up to their UFC bout, Curtis Blaydes was widely regarded as Tom Aspinall’s most formidable opponent to date. This perception was underscored by Aspinall’s swift victory, where he successfully defended his interim heavyweight title by knocking out Blaydes in just sixty seconds with a powerful one-two combination.
The main difference between the pair was the speed and agility. Aspinall was light footed and moving around freely, Curtis Blaydes appeared to be flat footed and intent on throwing haymakers. The overaggressive start definitely cost the American and suited Tom Aspinall’s game plan.
What is Next for Curtis Blaydes?
After such a disappointing performance by Curtis Blaydes, the question remains what is next for the American. There isn’t a shortage of opponents for the heavyweights who could face Blaydes next.
Sergei Pavlovich is one potential opponent who Curtis Blaydes could face. The hand speed the Russian has is visible to all his fans, the brutal knockout of Tai Tuivasa is a reminder to his opponents. This fight would be idea for the American as he looks to earn a title shot in the near future. Curtis’s wrestling skills would be an excellent matchup for the power and boxing of Sergei Pavlovich.
Secondly, Alexander Volkov is another name that could fight Curtis Blaydes with the Russian on a four fight win streak. The veteran has taken his skills to the next level blessed with excellent boxing and good takedown defence it would be a good match up for the pair. Volkov’s dominance as the tallest UFC fighter is there for all to see with his towering presence making it difficult for his opponents. The duo are veterans of the division and could run it back a second time.
Finally, there are many other fighters Blaydes could face such as Tai Tuivasa, Ciryl Gane and Jailton Almeida. Whilst the American has refused to fight Ciryl Gane recently, this defeat could change his mind. All these fighters would be a good test for Curtis Blaydes and a win over any of these opponents could kick-start his journey to a title shot in the near future.
Who would you like to see Curtis Blaydes fight next? Let us know!
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
