With the UFC heavyweight division stuck in neutral as it awaits the inevitable Daniel Cormier vs. Brock Lesnar showdown in early 2019, its top contenders have been forced to find other avenues to further their title pursuits while the belt sits in limbo atop Cormier’s mantel.
Two of the division’s top-five fighters are already seemingly booked, as a matchup between Derrick Lewis and Alexander Volkov is reportedly being targeted for UFC 229. That doesn’t leave many options for the man many assumed to already be the No. 1 contender before Cormier’s title upset, 27-year-old Curtis Blaydes.