Curtis Blaydes

Curtis Blaydes built his UFC heavyweight career on dominant wrestling and ground-and-pound, becoming a perennial top-10 contender.

Curtis Lionell Blaydes was born on 18 February 1991 in Naperville, Illinois, and was raised in Chicago alongside four siblings, winning an Illinois state wrestling title and compiling a 44-0 senior season record at the De La Salle Institute before competing at the junior college level in preparation for a career in combat sports. Blaydes turned professional in mixed martial arts in 2014, developing into one of the most dominant wrestlers in the UFC heavyweight division, training with Elevation Fight Team in Colorado and renowned throughout his career for his suffocating ground-and-pound and exceptionally high takedown volume against much larger opponents. Blaydes, nicknamed "Razor," has challenged for UFC heavyweight gold and remains one of the division's most consistent top-ten contenders, his wrestling-heavy style proving a persistent stylistic puzzle for a series of opponents throughout more than a decade of top-level UFC competition. Blaydes has continued competing at the top of the heavyweight rankings into his mid-thirties, and remains one of the most durable and statistically dominant grapplers ever to compete in the UFC's marquee division, having faced a who's who of the promotion's leading heavyweight contenders.

Blaydes is primarily known for his elite wrestling skills, utilizing his collegiate wrestling background to control opponents on the ground. He excels at takedowns and ground control, often wearing down opponents with his wrestling pressure and ground-and-pound techniques. While his striking has improved over his career, his wrestling remains his primary weapon and path to victory.

Blaydes has established himself as one of the most consistent and skilled wrestlers in modern UFC heavyweight history, helping to elevate the technical wrestling level in a division traditionally known more for striking power.

• Victory over Chris Daukaus (2023)