Curtis Blaydes feels 'recognized' thanks to Mark Hunt matchup at UFC 221

LAS VEGAS – UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes doesn’t care whether fans or pundits think his most recent win was indecisive.

Blaydes (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) earned a TKO victory over Oleksiy Oliynyk (55-11-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at UFC 217 when a cageside doctor advised the fight to be called off. The problem was that decision was spurred by a referee error when a kick was incorrectly called as a foul.

Blayes thinks the result would be the same even if the error hadn’t occurred.

“I was winning that fight,” he said this past weekend at UFC 219. “If anyone thinks otherwise, that’s their opinion. I don’t feel I have to prove anything. But I am excited to fight in February.”

That’s when Blaydes takes on slugger Mark Hunt (13-11-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) at UFC 221, which takes place Feb. 11 at Perth Arena in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. The main card airs live on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass. Due to Hunt’s Australian ties, Blaydes’ bout will likely be part of the main card.

Blaydes didn’t necessarily expect to face a fighter like Hunt, who’s resume faures a who’s who of the sport’s biggest big men. He had requested Marcin Tybura, Alexander Volkov or Derrick Lewis as his next opponent. When a living legend came back in return, he felt honored.

“I am pretty close to the (Fabricio) Werdums, the (Alistair) Overeems, the Ben Rothwells – I’m literally right there,” Blaydes said. “I kind of have to get over the surrealism of it, and just take it as a fight.”

Doing that is going to take some work. Blaydes is well-aware of Hunt’s history in the sport and his capabilities in the octagon.

“It’s going to be fun,” said Blaydes, who’s No. 14 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings (Hunt is No. 10). “I can already see it now, me slipping an uppercut and in my head thinking, ‘Oh my God, I just slipped Mark Hunt’s uppercut.’ But it’s still a job. I still have to go out there and win, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

For more on UFC 221, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.