Curtis Blaydes issued a statement following his 60-second loss to Tom Aspinall at UFC 304. The fight, held in Manchester, England, was the co-main event and a rematch between Blaydes and Aspinall.
Their first meeting in July 2022 ended with Blaydes winning by technical knockout due to Aspinall suffering a knee injury 15 seconds into the fight. This time, the stakes were higher: the interim heavyweight title.
Blaydes came into the fight with an impressive record, having won four of his last five fights, including a knockout victory over Jailton Almeida at UFC 299.
Aspinall, on the other hand, was making his return to the Octagon after winning the interim heavyweight title with a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. The fight was highly anticipated given the history between the two fighters and their recent successes.
The rematch was brief, lasting just a minute of the first round. Blaydes managed to land a few punches early on, but Aspinall quickly responded with a powerful left hand that sent Blaydes to the canvas.
Aspinall followed up with punches on the ground, leading the referee to stop the fight at 60 seconds, resulting in a TKO victory for Aspinall. This decisive win showcased Aspinall’s punching power and marked an important moment in his career.
Following the fight, Blaydes posted a message on Instagram in which he expressed his disappointment and took responsibility for the loss. He acknowledged that he deviated from the game plan devised by his trainers, Vinnie Lopes and Cody Donovan, which he believed would have been effective.
Blaydes praised Aspinall’s performance and acknowledged that he was at his best during the fight. He stressed that this defeat was not the end of his career and thanked his fans for their unconditional support.
Blaydes’ statement underlined his determination to bounce back from the loss and improve his performance. He acknowledged the importance of sticking to his strategy and expressed confidence in his abilities despite the setback.
The rematch with Aspinall, while disappointing for Blaydes, served as a learning experience and a reminder of the unpredictability and challenges in the sport of MMA.
