While Curtis Blaydes has finally secured his long-awaited title shot, albeit for interim UFC gold, the long-time heavyweight contender believes the timing of the pay-per-view event in the United Kingdom could take away from the significance of the bout.
Blaydes is set to face Tom Aspinall for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 304. The event takes place on July 27 in Manchester, England. And while fighting for a championship is undoubtedly a dream come true for any UFC fighter, Blaydes isn’t thrilled about one particular detail. The fight will happen in the wee hours of the morning local time.
“The biggest difference is it’s gonna be like 4 a.m and that’s what doesn’t really feel like a real title fight…That makes it feel a little less, but like I said, I don’t care.”
Curtis Blaydes backstage interview during UFC Denver
The UFC is sticking to its traditional pay-per-view start time of 10 p.m. ET. As is evident, the UFC considered the ease of the US-based fans over the British fans, who will have to view the title fight at 3 a.m. UK time.
Nevertheless, Blaydes is focused on the task at hand. He’s not changing his preparation for the time change. The heavyweight contender plans to arrive in Manchester on July 21. He’ll go through fight week as usual despite the odd circumstances.
Curtis Blaydes on UFC denying Tom Aspinall a title unification clash with Jon Jones
Matchmaking can be as unpredictable as the fights themselves in MMA. In recent times, the Las Vegas-based promotion has chosen to go against set norms of matchmaking in order to put on blockbuster events. This is evident in the circumstances surrounding Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Curtis Blaydes, Aspinall’s opponent, spoke about it recently.
The heavyweight contender voiced his frustration with the UFC’s matchmaking decisions. Specifically, he’s puzzled by the promotion’s reluctance to book Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones. Blaydes, set to face Aspinall for the interim heavyweight title, didn’t mince words. He called out the UFC for their “weird, wonky matchups” over the years.
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“Honestly, in a perfect world, it should be Aspinall vs. Jon but that’s not the world we live in. The UFC has had a lot of weird, wonky matchups over the years.”
Curtis Blaydes at the backstage of UFC on ESPN in Denver
The situation is a head-scratcher for many MMA fans and analysts alike. Aspinall, the interim champion, seemed like the logical next opponent for Jones. However, the UFC has insisted on making Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic next. The duo were set to fight at UFC 295, but Jones had to pull out due to a pectoral injury. The two are expected to face off before 2024 ends, however, even that might be in question with Jones’ recent legal troubles.
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