- Blaydes secures second round TKO victory over Dos Santos and demands a heavyweight title shot
Curtis Blaydes put on an impressive show in beating Junior Dos Santos by TKO in the main event at UFC Fight Night in Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday night.
The stoppage proved there is more to the Chicago-native's game than his vaunted grappling game, and it came in round two after a sledgehammer right hand rocked former heavyweight champion Dos Santos (21-7). Blaydes (13-2, one no contest) swarmed against the cage him before the ref waved off the bout.
"We were using the wrestling but knew he defended it well," Blaydes said. "He wanted the uppercut. I knew I was a little faster and that the uppercut was what he wanted. He's looking for that shot and he drops his hands, it makes the strikes a lot easier to land."
Blaydes' win continues a streak of three straight and the 28-year-old is now well in contention for a crack at the heavyweight title.
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"I want that title shot," Blaydes said. "I'm next. I showed you I've got the wrestling, I showed you I've got the hands. I don't know what else I've got to do. I want the title shot."
Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is currently sidelined with injury and is widely expected to complete a trilogy with former champion Daniel Cormier in the coming year. But there is no time-frame on Miocic's recovery from eye surgery at this point.
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Blaydes may be forced instead to look to a trilogy bout of his own against big-hitting Francis Ngannou, against whom he has previously taken two losses, but insists he would beat a third time round.
For Dos Santos, the defeat marked his second straight knockout loss following on from his 71-second blitzing against Ngannou in June.
The 35-year-old looked meandering against the fast-rising Blaydes on Saturday night and landed just nine shots according to official stats.
Earlier on Saturday night, Michael Chiesa was impressive in overcoming Rafael Dos Anjos and called out Colby Covington after the win.
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