Rivalries: Curtis Blaydes

Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight mainstay Curtis Blaydes has orbited the title picture, oscillating between exercising patience and staying active while other names rose and sank through the ranks. Throughout his career, he has indicated and placed a premium on operating at an entirely different plane compared to his peers. In saying that, his approach is straightforward: Step inside the Octagon, secure victory without the concern of delivering a spectacle and repeat.

Make no mistake, his sights are still firmly fixed on championship supremacy. However, ahead of his fight against Tom Aspinall in enemy territory back in July 2022, Blaydes claimed that the allure of championship pales in comparison to the imperative of providing for his family and securing a bright future for his daughter.

While Blaydes’ resume boasts several notable victories over divisional stalwarts, it perpetually appears as though he is on the cusp of earning a title shot with a couple of victories, only to somehow falter at pivotal junctures. At