Curtis Blaydes Bio
Curtis Lionell Blaydes is an American professional mixed martial artist born on February 18, 1991, in Naperville, Illinois. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and trains out of Lakewood, Colorado, with Elevation Fight Team. Known by the nickname “Razor,” Blaydes has built his reputation on a strong wrestling base, durable cardio, and an evolving striking game since turning professional in 2014.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes pairs his physical tools with a methodical, grappling-heavy style. He has compiled a professional record of 19 wins and 5 losses across his career, with victories coming primarily through knockouts and decisions. As of April 2026, he holds the number 7 spot in the UFC heavyweight rankings.
Early Life and Background
Curtis Blaydes was raised in Naperville, Illinois, and grew up in the nearby Chicago area alongside four siblings. He attended the De La Salle Institute, where he discovered his passion for wrestling. During his senior season, Blaydes captured an Illinois state wrestling title while posting an undefeated 44–0 record that season. Across his four high school years, he accumulated 95 wins against 18 losses and recorded 121 takedowns, establishing himself as one of the top heavyweight prospects in the Midwest.
Blaydes also played American football at De La Salle as a defensive end, an experience that helped round out his athleticism and physicality. He later accepted a full wrestling scholarship to Northern Illinois University, where he posted a 9–2 record as a redshirt freshman. Seeking more competitive mat time, Blaydes transferred to Harper College, where he captured the NJCAA National Championship as a redshirt sophomore at 285 pounds. He also became an IKF amateur champion before stepping away from collegiate wrestling to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.
Path to MMA
Blaydes built an impressive 8–0 amateur MMA record before deciding to turn professional in 2014. He immediately found success on the regional circuit, rattling off five straight wins with all of his victories coming by way of technical knockout. The finishes caught the attention of the UFC, which signed Blaydes shortly after his perfect start. His blend of NCAA-caliber wrestling, finishing instincts, and rapid improvement positioned him as one of the most promising heavyweight prospects in the sport.
Early in his pro career, Blaydes also competed for the Resurrection Fighting Alliance, gaining additional experience against seasoned veterans. He spent time training with Dutch Style MMA and UFC Gym Lombard before settling in with Elevation Fight Team in 2016. That same year, he earned a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under coach Cody Donovan, adding another layer to his grappling-heavy toolkit. By the time he debuted in the UFC, Blaydes had assembled the wrestling credentials, finishing ability, and team infrastructure needed for a sustained run at the top level.
Curtis Blaydes Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Curtis Blaydes launched his professional career in 2014 and quickly established himself as a finisher. He went 5–0 as a professional outside the UFC, with every victory coming by way of technical knockout. The streak showcased his ground-and-pound game and his ability to wear down opponents with relentless top pressure. The UFC signed him on the strength of those regional results, paving the way for a high-profile debut against Francis Ngannou in April 2016.
His promotional arrival came at UFC Fight Night 86 in Croatia, where he dropped a technical knockout loss to Ngannou after a doctor stoppage at the end of round two. The defeat was a learning experience for Blaydes, and he responded by stringing together UFC wins over Cody East and Adam Milstead before the end of 2016. The TKO finish over East earned him his first Performance of the Night bonus, signaling that he had quickly adapted to the step up in competition.
UFC Breakthrough (2017–2019)
Blaydes built momentum in 2017 with wins over Daniel Omielańczuk by unanimous decision and Alexey Oleynik via a doctor-stoppage TKO at UFC 217. Those victories established him as a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division. In 2018, he picked up a unanimous decision over Mark Hunt and a third-round TKO of Alistair Overeem at UFC 225, the latter of which earned him another Performance of the Night bonus.
He suffered a setback in a November 2018 rematch with Francis Ngannou, losing by TKO in the opening round of the UFC Fight Night 141 main event. Blaydes rebounded emphatically in 2019, taking a unanimous decision over Justin Willis at UFC Fight Night 148 and stopping Shamil Abdurakhimov via second-round TKO at UFC 242. The strong campaign cemented his place among the upper tier of the division heading into the next year.
UFC Heavyweight Contention (2020–2022)
Blaydes opened 2020 with a statement second-round TKO of former champion Junior dos Santos at UFC Fight Night 166. He followed that with a unanimous decision win over Alexander Volkov at UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Volkov, using a series of takedowns to control the tall Russian. A scheduled bout with Derrick Lewis fell through when Blaydes tested positive for COVID-19, and he dropped a second-round knockout to Lewis when the fight was rescheduled for February 2021.
After that defeat, Blaydes signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC. He responded with a unanimous decision over Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 266 and a second-round TKO of Chris Daukaus at UFC on ESPN 33, the latter earning another Performance of the Night award. In July 2022, he was awarded a TKO victory over Tom Aspinall at UFC Fight Night 208 after Aspinall suffered a knee injury in the opening minute. The win pushed Blaydes back into the title conversation.
UFC Title Challenges (2023–2026)
Blaydes ran into trouble in April 2023, losing to Sergei Pavlovich by first-round TKO at UFC Fight Night 222. A planned bout with Jailton Almeida was later rescheduled for UFC 299 in March 2024, where Blaydes rallied from nine first-round takedowns to land a second-round technical knockout. The dramatic finish earned him another Performance of the Night bonus and reignited his push toward a title shot.
He earned that opportunity on July 27, 2024, when he faced Tom Aspinall for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 304. Aspinall won by knockout just one minute into the fight, dealing Blaydes another setback against a top contender. In 2025, Blaydes picked up a split decision win over Rizvan Kuniev at UFC on ABC 8 after the bout was pushed back multiple times. Most recently, on April 11, 2026, he dropped a unanimous decision to Josh Hokit at UFC 327 in a fight widely regarded as a Fight of the Year contender. The bout earned Blaydes a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus, and he and Hokit set a UFC heavyweight record for combined significant strikes, with Blaydes landing 174 of the 351 total.
Style and Strengths
Curtis Blaydes has long been recognized as one of the top wrestlers in the UFC heavyweight division, relying on relentless takedowns and suffocating top control. His gas tank allows him to chain takedowns across rounds, while his growing striking arsenal, anchored by sharp elbows and leg kicks, has made him far more dangerous on the feet than earlier in his career. Training under Elevation Fight Team in Colorado, Blaydes continues to refine a hybrid style that blends grinding wrestling with opportunistic finishing power.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Blaydes’s signature moments are his finishes of Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Chris Daukaus, and Tom Aspinall, all of which earned Performance of the Night bonuses. His April 2026 battle with Josh Hokit set the UFC heavyweight record for combined significant strikes and produced a $100,000 Fight of the Night award. Blaydes has also reached the top of the rankings, currently sitting at number 7 in the UFC heavyweight division as of April 2026.
Curtis Blaydes Career Wins
Curtis Blaydes has compiled 19 professional victories across regional circuits, the Resurrection Fighting Alliance, and the UFC. His wins include a mix of knockouts, decisions, and one disqualification, with five finishes by technical knockout or knockout and six by decision. While he has never captured UFC gold, his consistency has kept him among the elite heavyweights of his era.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Blaydes has recorded notable wins over Cody East, Adam Milstead, Daniel Omielańczuk, Alexey Oleynik, Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Justin Willis, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Junior dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Chris Daukaus, Tom Aspinall, Jailton Almeida, and Rizvan Kuniev. Several of those performances, including the finishes of Overeem, Daukaus, and Aspinall, came with Performance of the Night bonuses. The win over Almeida at UFC 299 stands out as one of the most dramatic comebacks of his career, rallying after being taken down nine times in the first round.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Blaydes ran his professional record to 5–0 with all finishes by TKO before earning his UFC contract. He also competed for the Resurrection Fighting Alliance, where he continued to refine his ground-and-pound approach against experienced heavyweights. His amateur résumé, including an 8–0 record and an IKF amateur championship, laid the groundwork for his rapid ascent to the sport’s biggest stage.
Curtis Blaydes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Curtis Blaydes was raised in Naperville, Illinois, and grew up in the greater Chicago area with four siblings. His family environment supported his early athletic pursuits, including wrestling and football at the De La Salle Institute. While his relatives are not publicly known for combat sports careers, his Chicago upbringing and access to strong scholastic wrestling programs helped shape his athletic foundation.
Personal Life
Blaydes currently resides in Lakewood, Colorado, where he trains with Elevation Fight Team. He has a daughter, though he generally keeps his personal and family life out of the public eye. Away from competition, he continues to focus on his career inside the cage and on building his legacy in the UFC heavyweight division.
2025 Season Performance
Curtis Blaydes’s 2025 campaign was shaped by patience and persistence. A planned bout with Rizvan Kuniev was originally booked for February 22, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 252 before being pushed to UFC 313 and then delayed again after Blaydes withdrew due to illness. The fight was rescheduled once more and ultimately took place on June 21, 2025, at UFC on ABC 8, where Blaydes earned a hard-fought split decision victory over Kuniev. The result was not without controversy, as 11 of 13 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Kuniev.
That win kept Blaydes inside the UFC heavyweight top 10 and set the stage for a strong follow-up. Heading into 2025, he remained one of the most experienced and durable contenders in the division, with a deep wrestling pedigree and a proven ability to grind out top opponents. Although his split decision over Kuniev drew debate, it reaffirmed his status as a gatekeeper in the title picture.
Looking back on 2025, Blaydes used the year to reset after his interim title loss to Tom Aspinall at UFC 304. The Kuniev win provided momentum, and his standing in the rankings reflected another year of consistent performances against ranked opposition. With Elevation Fight Team behind him, Blaydes continued to be a fixture near the top of one of the UFC’s most unpredictable divisions.
