5 biggest takeaways from UFC on ESPN+ 24: What to think of Curtis Blaydes as a legit contender

Thoughts and analysis of the biggest storylines coming out of UFC Raleigh, where Curtis Blaydes made a statement. But was it big enough?

3. Rough times for Junior Dos Santos

Dos Santos is going to have a difficult time digesting this one. The happy-go-lucky former UFC heavyweight champ is on a two-fight losing skid for the first time in his storied career, and the outcome with Blaydes in particular will force closer examination.

The Brazilian came into the fight boasting about his boxing being the best in the division. That matters not in MMA, though, because he ended up being outstruck and stopped by a fighter with a wrestling-heavy approach. To his credit, Dos Santos stopped every takedown that came his way, but that clearly exposed him to be punched. Blaydes may not have the striking credentials, but the presence of a wrestling threat sure made his standup effective and threw Dos Santos for a loop.

Ahead of the event, Dos Santos was adamant that he would be UFC champ again: “I really believe I can surge to the top of this division as a champion. I will get there. I got there once. I will get there again.”

We’ve seen crazy career resurgences in the UFC, but the odds are stacked against Dos Santos at this point. He’s 35, and although he’s only lost to the elite of the elite in the heavyweight division, these are the fights he needs to be winning, not losing in a fashion where he’s beaten at his own game.

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