UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes expressed blunt dissatisfaction with his upcoming bout against Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Baku this Saturday, making it clear the fight offers little benefit beyond a paycheck and a win on paper. Blaydes’s frustration centers not only on the quality of his opponent but also on the unresolved status of the UFC heavyweight title amid Jon Jones’s inactivity.
Blaydes Critiques Matchup Against Unranked Opponent
Blaydes made his feelings clear during a Wednesday media session, stating,
“This fight doesn’t help me at all. This guy’s unranked. I could knock him out with a flying knee. Doesn’t matter,”
underscoring his belief that Kuniev does not pose a significant challenge. He further explained the nature of heavyweight contests, saying,
“He’s a heavyweight. All heavyweights are a threat. That’s difference between heavyweight and all the other weight classes. You don’t have to be the most skilled, or the most explosive, or the most anything. Just swing. If you hit sometimes guys go to sleep.”
Despite the dissatisfaction with the opponent’s ranking, Blaydes acknowledged the fairness of the fight’s compensation:
“I don’t have an issue with him being unranked because it doesn’t affect my money. If I got paid less money to fight an unranked person I wouldn’t agree, but the money’s the same. I’ll take the money.”
Calls for UFC to Strip Jon Jones and Resolve Division Standstill
The ongoing uncertainty over Jon Jones’s defense of the heavyweight title remains a major source of frustration for Blaydes and others in the division. Jones’s reluctance to defend the belt, particularly against Tom Aspinall, has halted progress and clouded future matchups. Blaydes articulated this frustration clearly:
“Him having a belt and refusing to fight (Tom) Aspinall it just halts the division. It makes it impossible for any of us to have any future projections. We need to get to the bottom of that.”
He offered a straightforward solution:
“My answer: you strip him. It’s not that hard. Been done a bunch of times before. You strip him and if that pisses them off maybe that’ll get them the fight. If not he just retires. Which is alright also. He’s the GOAT. He doesn’t have to fight, but if he wants to hold on to that belt, he needs to fight.”
Anticipation Builds for Blaydes’s Fight at UFC Baku
While awaiting the resolution of the heavyweight title uncertainty, Curtis Blaydes prepares to face Rizvan Kuniev this weekend. Blaydes’s comments at media day reflect the restlessness and tension within the division as fans and fighters alike await clarity on Jon Jones’s status and the future of the heavyweight championship.