Right after his UFC debut in 2016, Curtis Blaydes was put to the test as he stepped into the Octagon for the first time to take on none other than the heavyweight phenom Francis Ngannou! Despite losing the debut bout via TKO due to a doctor stoppage at the end of the second round, ‘Razor’ bounced back by going on a 5-fight win streak. Currently ranked No. 4 in the heavyweight division, Curtis Blaydes has proven himself as a top-tier competitor with impressive wins over big names like Junior Dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, and Mark Hunt.

But did you know that early in his MMA journey, Blaydes had a challenge cut out for him- to figure out how to integrate mixed martial arts training into his already stellar wrestling background from his high school and college days? And that’s not all – managing his weight was another big challenge! Let’s dive into how Curtis Blaydes tackled these obstacles and transformed into the formidable fighter he is today.

Curtis Blaydes reveals shockingly high walkaround weight

The UFC heavyweight limit for non-title bouts is 266 lbs. but for championship fights, fighters have to weigh in at the 265 lbs. limit. For Curtis Blaydes, hitting that weight limit was a major focus when he started in mixed martial arts. In a 2018 interview with TSN, Blaydes shared that during his early amateur and pro fights, he leaned heavily on his wrestling pedigree to get those wins and wasn’t training in all MMA disciplines like striking and grappling.

Here’s the surprising part: Blaydes admitted, “I didn’t really focus on my whole mixed martial arts game. I didn’t have a striking coach or a Jiu-Jitsu professor or anything like that. Going into fights, my main focus was making weight – I was walking around at like 295, so really my main focus was just getting on weight and then going in there and using my wrestling to win.”

Imagine walking around at 295 lbs! Other UFC fighters like Derrick Lewis have done it, but cutting nearly 30 lbs. is tough and not sustainable long-term. Despite this, Blaydes’ wrestling background—state champion at De La Salle Institute and NJCAA National Champion at Harper College—helped him maintain an undefeated record as an amateur and professional. That was until he faced ‘The Predator’ in his UFC debut, marking the end of his winning streak and a turning point in his career.

The loss was a wake-up call for ‘Razor’. He then decided to move to Denver and has since been training at the ‘Elevation Fight Team’. Learning to mix up his already stellar wrestling skills with other aspects of mixed martial arts has led Blaydes to where he is now, ready to challenge for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 304! So, how do his physical attributes match up against those of Tom Aspinall, the current interim title holder?

Curtis Blaydes’s height, reach, and other stats

Curtis Blaydes stands at an imposing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs in at around 257-260 lbs. for his fights. ‘Razor’ and Aspinall have faced each other once before in 2022 where a knee injury suffered by Aspinall handed Blaydes the victory early in the first round. For that fight, Aspinall weighed in at 251 lbs, while ‘Razor’ tipped the scales at 260 lbs.

Aspinall is taller than Blaydes as he stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, but the British interim champion surprisingly has a disadvantage when it comes to reach! ‘Razor’ boasts an impressive 80-inch reach, while Aspinall measures in at 78 inches. As he prepares to challenge Aspinall for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 304, Blaydes’s ability to adapt and overcome challenges stands as a testament to his resilience and determination in the Octagon. Whether his wrestling prowess and striking improvements will be enough to secure the title remains to be seen, but fans can expect fireworks when these two Titans go to war in Manchester on July 27!