Curtis Blaydes has certainly experienced his setbacks in UFC competition – KO losses to Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis immediately come to mind – but he’s also gradually built a resume that ranks among the best in the heavyweight division during his promotional tenure.
He added to his list of achievements with a second-round technical knockout victory against Chris Daukaus in the UFC on ESPN 33 main event on Saturday, a victory that stood out because the Octagon’s all-time heavyweight takedown leader relied on his striking, not his wrestling, to get the job done at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.