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UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes faced off against the emerging Russian knockout specialist Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Vegas 71 in April. Pavlovich showcased his formidable striking skills and swiftly dispatched Blaydes with a relentless barrage of punches in the opening round.
Following his TKO loss, 'Razor' expressed his apprehensions regarding brain trauma. Blaydes candidly shared his concerns about the potential long-term effects on his cognitive health after experiencing the stoppage defeat.
During a recent interaction with James Lynch, the No.4-ranked heavyweight stated:
"Always after a TKO or KO you wanna adjust the brain because I'm always thinking about the future. That's always a part of it... I'm not one of those guys, after a loss especially a TKO, I'm not looking to hop right back in there just to prove to the world."
He added:
"I know I'm good, I just had a bad day at the office. I think it's in my interest to approach this with delicacy. I don't want to rush it so yeah I'm not really in a hurry. There's going to be matchups and yeah I'm looking to fight at end of the summer."
Check out Curtis Blaydes' comments below (from 0:12 onwards):
Curtis Blaydes vs. Jailton Almeida slated for UFC Sao Paulo
The UFC has set its sights on a heavyweight clash between Jailton Almeida and Curtis Blaydes, aiming to feature it as the headliner for an upcoming Fight Night event in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The anticipated date for the card is November 4, 2023.
After suffering a TKO loss to Sergei Pavlovich in April, Curtis Blaydes is determined to bounce back and regain momentum. The defeat halted Blaydes' impressive three-fight win streak, which featured victories over Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Chris Daukaus, and Tom Aspinall.
Meanwhile, Jailton Almeida has emerged as a rising star, solidifying his status with a first-round submission victory over Rozenstruik in May.
The Fight Night event in Sao Paulo holds significance as it marks the UFC's return to the city for the first time since November 2019, when former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz triumphed over Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza in the main event of UFC Fight Night 164. Furthermore, the event serves as the second occasion the promotion has returned to Brazil since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
