Curtis Blaydes Triumphs Over Jailton Almeida at UFC 299
Curtis Blaydes showcased his patience in the initial round against Jailton Almeida during the highly anticipated preliminary bout at UFC 299, ultimately securing victory via technical knockout in the subsequent round. The No. 5-ranked heavyweight contender’s strategic display was followed by a powerful finish against his opponent.
Post-victory, Blaydes wasted no time in expressing his desire for a rematch with the current interim champion, Tom Aspinall. Speaking to Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview, Blaydes articulated his yearning for a chance to settle their uncompleted business. Asserting, “I believe me and Aspinall have got some unfinished business. I’d like to get that one next. Aspinall.”
Blaydes and Aspinall’s paths had crossed previously in July 2022 during a UFC Fight Night main event in Aspinall’s homeland of England. Unfortunately, the matchup was cut short after a mere 15 seconds, attributed to Aspinall’s knee injury. Despite Blaydes securing a victory in that encounter, the outcome carried an unspoken caveat due to the circumstances.
Aspinall’s Journey Post-Injury
Following the injury, Aspinall endured a hiatus from competition for a year. Upon his return, he clinched a swift 73-second triumph in his comeback fight and proceeded to knockout Sergei Pavlovich in November at UFC 295, earning the interim heavyweight title in the process. Meanwhile, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, is in recovery mode from an injury and is projected to face former champion Stipe Miocic later in 2024.
Blaydes experienced a setback with a knockout loss to Pavlovich subsequent to his encounter with Aspinall. However, he rebounded convincingly in his latest performance, utilizing his formidable striking abilities to hand Almeida his inaugural UFC defeat. In a pivotal moment during the match, Blaydes thwarted Almeida’s takedown endeavor and proceeded to deliver a series of impactful hammerfist strikes that led to his Brazilian counterpart’s defeat.
Blaydes’ UFC Journey
Throughout his UFC tenure, Blaydes boasts a record of 13 victories, 4 losses, with one no-contest. Noteworthy is the absence of any title challenges in his career thus far, with his defeats solely attributed to elite power punchers such as Pavlovich, Derrick Lewis, and Francis Ngannou on two occasions. Almeida, in contrast, had enjoyed a remarkable 15-fight winning streak dating back to 2018, with recent triumphs over prominent adversaries like Derrick Lewis and Jairzinho Rozenstruik within the past year.
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