Curtis Blaydes Returns After 11 Months: Can He Stop UFC Newcomer Rizvan Kuniev?

Curtis Blaydes Returns After 11 Months: Can He Stop UFC Newcomer Rizvan Kuniev?

Curtis Blaydes Returns After 11 Months: Can He Stop UFC Newcomer Rizvan Kuniev?

Curtis Blaydes returns to the Octagon this Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking his first fight in 11 months. The 34-year-old heavyweight veteran faces off against UFC newcomer Rizvan Kuniev in a bout that, while not a direct path to a title shot, is crucial for Blaydes to reestablish himself in the division’s upper echelon.

Blaydes’ Perspective: A Fight for Momentum, Not a Title Shot

Blaydes, ranked among the UFC’s top heavyweights with an 18-5 record, openly acknowledges that this fight against Kuniev doesn’t advance his title aspirations immediately. “This fight does not advance my career at all,” Blaydes told reporters during media day. “This opponent is unranked. I could potentially knock him out with a flying knee, but it wouldn’t make a difference.” Despite this, Blaydes remains focused on victory and sees the bout as an opportunity to get back into fighting shape and earn income after a long layoff since his interim title loss to Tom Aspinall last July.

Experience vs. Newcomer: The Statistical Edge

Blaydes’ experience is a significant advantage. With 19 UFC heavyweight fights under his belt ranking ninth all-time in the division he is a seasoned competitor. He is tied for eighth all-time in finishes among heavyweights and aims to notch his 14th UFC win, which would move him into a tie for fifth all-time in division victories. His wrestling is elite, averaging 5.69 takedowns per 15 minutes and controlling opponents on the mat with a 49.1% control time, seventh-best in heavyweight history.

In contrast, Kuniev, a 33-year-old Russian fighter making his UFC debut, has a professional record of 12-2-1. Known for his striking, Kuniev lands 5.82 significant strikes per minute with an impressive 72% accuracy, compared to Blaydes’ 3.54 strikes per minute at 50% accuracy. However, Kuniev’s reach (76 inches) is shorter than Blaydes’ 80 inches, and Kuniev has yet to face the caliber of opposition Blaydes has encountered.

Key Tactical Matchups

Blaydes’ path to victory likely hinges on imposing his wrestling dominance. He successfully lands takedowns on 53% of his attempts and defends 31% of takedown attempts against him. Kuniev, while a dangerous striker, has a perfect takedown defense record so far, stopping 100% of takedown attempts. This clash of wrestling prowess versus striking precision makes for an intriguing stylistic matchup.

Blaydes’ last fight ended in a first-round knockout loss to Aspinall, where he absorbed heavy strikes but landed only a few significant shots himself. He enters this bout healthy and confident, stating, “I feel like I’m peaking at the right time – I’m healthy and ready”. Meanwhile, Kuniev’s recent win came via elbows in the first round, showcasing his finishing ability.

What’s at Stake

While this fight may not immediately vault Blaydes back into title contention, a convincing win is essential to maintain his status as a top-five heavyweight contender. He candidly admitted, “I would love the opportunity to contend the title. That would mean an additional $800,000 in my pocket, but I know that isn’t in the cards right now, so I won’t dwell on it”. Instead, Blaydes is pragmatic, understanding he may need another fight before earning another shot.

For Kuniev, this is a chance to announce himself on the big stage and upset a proven veteran. His striking volume and accuracy pose a real threat, but overcoming Blaydes’ wrestling and experience will be a tall order.

Curtis Blaydes’ return after nearly a year away is a pivotal moment in his career. His wrestling-heavy style and Octagon savvy give him the tools to neutralize Rizvan Kuniev’s striking, but the newcomer’s precision and finishing instincts cannot be underestimated. Fans tuning in to UFC Baku on June 21 should expect a compelling clash of styles, with Blaydes aiming to remind the heavyweight division that “Razor” is still a force to be reckoned with.


LATEST

  • NEWS
  • |
  • ARTICLES
  • |
  • VIDEOS
img_articles

Israel Adesanya Plots Middleweight Return: Who ...

img_articles

Kevin Holland Seeks Third Straight Win: Is He a...

img_articles

Should Michael Johnson Retire After Zellhuber S...

img_articles

Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez: Welterweight...

img_articles

UFC 318 Best Bets: Who Are the Top Underdog Pic...

img_articles

Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier III: Can the Tri...

img_articles

Holloway Aims for BMF Glory as Poirier Plans Re...

img_articles

UFC 318 Preview: Holloway vs. Poirier 3 – Who H...

img_articles

Breakdown of All UFC Nashville Fight Night Subm...

img_articles

Morgan Charrière Scores Knockout Win Fight of t...

img_articles

Vitor Petrino and Tuco Tokkos Impress With Earl...

img_articles

UFC Nashville Performance Bonuses Who Took Home...

img_articles

Derrick Lewis Finishes Tallison Teixeira in 35 ...

img_articles

Dana White’s Biggest Decisions in 2025 What’s a...

img_articles

Kopylov vs. Costa: High Stakes and Bad Blood He...

img_articles

Khamzat Chimaev Ready for Middleweight Title — ...

img_articles

Paulo Costa Says He’ll Call Out Chimaev After U...

img_articles

Teixeira’s Undefeated Streak: Can He Stay Perfe...

img_articles

Justin Gaethje’s Next Opponent: Who Stands in H...

img_articles

Dustin Poirier’s Retirement Fight: Can He End H...

img_articles

Max Holloway’s Legacy: What’s at Stake in the B...

img_articles

Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov: Middleweight Cla...

img_articles

International Fight Week Recap: Biggest Moments...

img_articles

Merab Dvalishvili’s Rise: From Underdog to Bant...

img_articles

UFC’s Next Broadcast Deal: What’s at Stake Afte...

img_articles

Chael Sonnen’s Controversial Pick for UFC Fight...

img_articles

Historic Night in Azerbaijan: Why UFC’s Baku Ev...

img_articles

UFC Nashville 2025: Full Fight Card, Start Time...

img_articles

UFC at the White House: Everything We Know Abou...

img_articles

Jon Jones Teases UFC Return: Will He Fight Aspi...

img_articles

Tom Aspinall’s First Title Defense: Who Will Ch...

img_articles

Ilia Topuria Rises to No. 1 Pound-for-Pound Aft...

img_articles

UFC July 2025 Schedule: Every Fight Fans Can’t ...

img_articles

Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier Trilogy: Who Wi...

img_articles

UFC Nashville Fight Card: Derrick Lewis vs. Tal...

img_articles

UFC 317: Joshua Van’s Breakout Performance and ...

img_articles

UFC 317: Alexandre Pantoja’s Legacy and the Fly...

img_articles

Joshua Van vs. Brandon Royval: Did UFC 317 Deli...

img_articles

What’s Next for Ilia Topuria After UFC 317? Pot...

img_articles

Ilia Topuria Becomes Two-Division Champion With...

img_articles

Megan Anderson Dating History: UFC Star’s Relat...

img_articles

UFC’s Most Dominant Champions in 2025

img_articles

UFC’s Top 10 Pound-for-Pound Fighters in 2025

img_articles

Did Jon Jones Retire Due to Legal Issues? The T...

img_articles

Alexandre Pantoja Net Worth 2025: Career Earnin...

img_articles

UFC Rumor: Is Francis Ngannou vs. Tom Aspinall ...

img_articles

UFC 317 Betting Prediction: Expert Picks and Od...

img_articles

UFC 317: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira—Keys...

img_articles

UFC Rankings: Who’s Climbing After Fight Night ...

img_articles

Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Jamahal Hill Full Fight...

FAN ARCH PODCAST NETWORK