[autotag]Curtis Blaydes[/autotag] doesn’t want to book any more fights should he emerge victorious in his next appearance.
Blaydes (13-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) takes on Alexander Volkov in the headliner of the UFC’s June 20 event at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where he expects to solidify himself as the next title challenger.
The UFC heavyweight title fight between champion Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier has finally been signed on for Aug. 15, and with Francis Ngannou already pegged as the No. 1 contender, Blaydes thinks he shouldn’t have to fight anyone after Volkov to earn his shot.
“Yeah, that’s what I’ve discussed with my coaches and my management,” Blaydes told MMA Junkie. “There isn’t anyone else worth it, and I’ll have enough money to sit. If I have to sit eight months, I have enough, so I’ll be OK.”
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Blaydes’ only two losses in the UFC have come to Ngannou. He has won his last three in a row, with back-to-back finishes over Shamil Abdurakhimov and former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos.
Cormier will likely retire after his trilogy fight with Miocic, but if it were up to Blaydes, he’d rather fight Miocic for the title anyway, since he is widely regarded as greatest heavyweight of all time.
“The way I fight, it’s universal,” Blaydes said. “It works for Stipe, it works for DC. I know DC is also an accomplished wrestler – Olympics and all that – but I’m bigger, I’m faster, I’m more explosive at this stage of my career than he is. I’m longer, I have all the dimensional advantages so my game plan works for both of them.
“I would prefer though, honestly, Stipe because I think a lot of people would agree (that) he’s going to go down as probably the No. 1 or No. 2 heavyweight of all time when he retires.”