5 reasons why Curtis Blaydes could be the UFC's next interim heavyweight champion

#4. Curtis Blaydes seems to be improving his overall skills

Curtis Blaydes appears to have improved his stand-up game hugely.

The big knock on Curtis Blaydes was always that he fought in a somewhat one-dimensional way, preferring to use his powerful wrestling game to smother his opponents to defeat. ‘Razor’ didn’t always have a dull approach per se, but it was probably fair to say that often fans didn’t enjoy his bouts.

His victory over Junior Dos Santos in early 2020 appeared to suggest a change in his approach. He used the threat of his takedown to knock the former champion out. However, his subsequent wins over Alexander Volkov and Jairzinho Rozenstruik saw him regress to his more one-dimensional style.

However, Blaydes’ win over Chris Daukaus this weekend saw him demonstrate better striking skills than we’d ever seen from him before.

Not only did ‘Razor’ turn out his opponent’s lights in violent fashion, but he also largely outstruck the dangerous Daukaus for the entirety of the fight. He showed improvement in his defense, head movement and hand speed.

Given that he seems to be improving in this fashion, it’s likely more steps forward could happen in the near future. That means ‘Razor’ could become the UFC’s interim heavyweight champion if he’s given a shot at the gold.

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#3. The two fighters to beat Curtis Blaydes are no longer in the picture

Despite his KO of Curtis Blaydes, Derrick Lewis is no longer in the title picture.

Curtis Blaydes’ record of 16-3 is one of the most impressive in the UFC’s heavyweight division. That's particularly when you consider the caliber of opponents he has taken out since his debut in 2016.

However, under regular circumstances, the three losses held by ‘Razor’ might be enough to keep him from getting close to receiving a title shot in the octagon. After all, there’d probably be no money in Blaydes facing champion Francis Ngannou for the title when ‘The Predator’ already holds two stoppage wins over him.

With Ngannou now on the shelf for an indeterminate amount of time, though – with a chance of him leaving the UFC altogether – everything has changed for ‘Razor’.

Essentially, there’s now nothing standing in his way of receiving a shot at the title, particularly if it’s an interim one. The fact that the other man to beat him – Derrick Lewis – has now slipped down the ladder helps Blaydes' cause too.

For all intents and purposes, both fighters who hold wins over ‘Razor’ are no longer in the picture. That means, theoretically, there should be no roadblocks for Blaydes any more, giving him a clear path to winning gold in the octagon.