UFC president Dana White believes Curtis Blaydes’ performance at UFC on ESPN 11 didn’t match up with everything he said pre-fight.
Blaydes (14-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) picked up a lopsided unanimous decision win over Alexander Volkov (31-8 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in the headlining bout Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, using a record number of takedowns for a heavyweight bout over the course of five rounds.
Prior to the fight, Blaydes promised he would “rag-doll” Volkov in essentially the type of performance he delivered. Moreover, he chimed in on the ongoing hot topic of UFC fighter pay. White caught wind of everything he said and called him out on it.
“I like Curtis Blaydes, but Curtis Blaydes has the wrong attitude as far as I’m concerned,” White said at the UFC on ESPN 11 post-fight news conference. “I don’t have anything against the kid at all, (but) when you talk (expletive) like he talked this week, you better come in and whoop somebody’s ass when you talk (expletive) like that. When you talk the (expletive) that he did and perform like he did tonight? You look stupid.
“Yeah, he won. He talked a lot of (expletive) coming in this week. I don’t think you talk the (expletive) he talked this week and come in and perform like that. Talking about rag-dolling people, and he’s not getting paid, and yada yada, he should be getting the title shot. He gassed out at the end of the third round, made it to the fifth and won the fight. Yeah, he won.”
As far as Blaydes is concerned, he had every reason to feel good about his performance.
“I won. There is no part of me that isn’t happy right now,” Blaydes said. “You can ask it from six different angles. There is no part of me that isn’t happy. My hand was raised. I’m happy.”
With four consecutive wins in the heavyweight division, Blaydes is closing in on a title fight. The problem, however, is that his lone two career losses are against Francis Ngannou, who is waiting for the UFC 252 title fight between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier to play out.
White said he advises Blaydes not to wait around for all that to unfold and instead take another fight.
“His two losses are to Francis,” White said. “How do you give him the title shot ahead of Francis? But, yeah, he would be considered next in line. But with his performance tonight and his cardio? I wouldn’t wait around if I was him. I’d stay active. I’d stay busy.”
Blaydes begs to differ.
“Stay busy against who?” he said. “I fought Justin Willis, ranked below me. I fought (Shamil) Abdurakhimov, ranked below me. I fought Junior (Dos Santos), ranked below me. I fought Volkov, ranked below me. Like what? No.”
Dana White to Curtis Blaydes: 'You look stupid' after failing to back up talk in UFC on ESPN 11 win
