Curtis Blaydes sees numerous advantages in his favor if he’s matched up against Jon Jones.
Blaydes (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) didn’t end up securing a fight with Jones (26-1 MMA, 20-1 UFC) in his heavyweight debut, but Blaydes thinks he’d pose a big threat to the former light heavyweight champion in the wrestling department. The UFC heavyweight division’s all-time leader in takedowns, Blaydes thinks Jones would have a hard time getting off his back.
“Just the difference between 215 or 197 compared to heavyweight, when you’re on the bottom, when he’s underneath me, which I do plan on him being underneath me, he’s gonna use a lot more energy than what he’s used to using,” Blaydes said on a recent episode of “Food Truck Diaries” with Brendan Schaub. “I think that’ll be the biggest factor.”
He continued, “Size, power, explosiveness. He’s not the most explosive guy. He’s very creative with the striking, but he’s not very explosive. I think he’s more well rounded, but the wrestling, the size, the explosion, and power, I think jab for jab, if we both connect, he’ll go backwards, and I won’t.”
Blaydes has won seven of his past eight bouts, most recently over Tom Aspinall in the UFC Fight Night 208 headliner in July, which ended in a TKO due to injury. He does not currently have a fight booked.
Jones will make his heavyweight debut against Ciryl Gane for the vacant title in the UFC 285 headliner on March 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.
