I’d rather see black beast vs blaydes.I still wanna see him Vs Jones
I’m shocked a former heavyweight champ is still ranked. SHOCKED I TELL YOU!!Hell who knows. Arlovski is still ranked pretty decent. HW paper thin.
which has been proven in… which fight exactly?Jairzinho sucks in grappling department.
Curtis Blaydes is supposed to be a great wrestler isnt he? Is heavyweight wrestling just that pathetic? Not even trying to hate but his wrestling seems pretty bad.
My point is IF he could string together a few wins he is right back in the title picture. Heavyweight is not a deep devision. Especially if big Frank isn’t champ.I’m shocked a former heavyweight champ is still ranked. SHOCKED I TELL YOU!!
Yeah I feel you.There's nothing wrong with that. We need guys like that. They're good measuring sticks.
Let's stop regurgitating vague statements and focus shall we?Heavyweight is a paper thin division because any suitably young talented athlete that size isn't going to choose MMA as their first option.
The UFC paying these guys peanuts is why the bar is slow low.
Heavyweight MMA in the UFC in 2021 still largely features one skill fighters that are generally sloppy, old for athletics and overall unimpressive.
Curtis wouldn't have shot that ill-fated takedown on Black Beast.
He's facing another heavy, powerful striker in Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 266.
Will we see a new gameplan from Mr. Blaydes?
Will he be tentative to shoot?
As the #4 heavyweight in the UFC, and the best wrestler in the division, there is a lot on the line for the 30 year old.
This is a pivotal fight in his career to show whether he has been able to build upon his talents.
not at HW. He's one of the better athletes in the division and that takes you a long way at HW. blaydes will always be only a good win or two away from a title shot.Curtis is looking like he may end up being a professional gatekeeper.
Let's stop regurgitating vague statements and focus shall we?
1) and 2) Are true statements, but doesn't mean anything here. The fact is, Ngannou and Gane are two elite athletes who didn't chose MMA but are here by chance. It doesn't matter why they're here, they're here. If the topic was about whether we'll see more of them then this is relevant. If the topic was about Ngannou trying to make more money then this is relevant.
The topic is about Blaydes, his level and his future. He's well rounded, a decent athlete and he's only 30 so your third paragraph is quite meaningless here. Who cares what most HWs are like? He's competing with those who aren't these things. Blaydes, as I've said, is well rounded. He can strike okay and he's got the fundamentals down but he can't adapt, nor can he go beyond what he's learned. He throws strikes with good form and knows when to throw what. That's enough for a wrestler.
The problem with Blaydes is that his striking rhythm can be read and his takedowns are sometimes very telegraphed. In the HW division, this is bad news. You can get away with being clipped on the way in in lower weight divisions but in HW clipped most likely means rocked or out cold. Factor in the fact that many at the top are KO artists and that's terrible for him.
Although he has a chance. If he can win here, he may be able to get a title shot if Gane wins since we know nothing of Gane's anti wrestling RN. He may even win since Gane doesn't have enough power to KO Blaydes. That's IF Gane's wrestling is his weakness and from what we've seen of European fighters, they generally don't have high level wrestling coaches or wrestling partners.
You just described a gatekeeper lolnot at HW. He's one of the better athletes in the division and that takes you a long way at HW. blaydes will always be only a good win or two away from a title shot.