UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes has spoken about his loss to Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC Vegas 19.
Curtis Blaydes says he has nothing to be ashamed of after being knocked out by Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC Vegas 19 last Saturday night.
Blaydes did quite well in the opening round of the fight. He opted to stand with Lewis and kept him on the outside with several jabs and kicks that kept him in control for the majority of the first five minutes. The wrestling of Blaydes had not yet come into play, but it would soon be incorporated once the second round began.
Blaydes continued with his original gameplan, but mixed it up with the threat of the takedown. Lewis successfully stuffed the first one and would keep the fight standing. It did not take long for Blaydes to shoot in for his second takedown attempt, but when he did this time, Lewis launched a hellacious uppercut that caught him right on the chin. Blaydes would drop to the canvas and get hit with two follow-up shots from Lewis before the referee stepped in to wave it off.
The loss to Lewis not only snapped a four-fight win streak, but it was also the third time Blaydes has been knocked out in his professional career. He seems to be taking it all in stride though, briefly speaking about the fight and its outcome on Tuesday afternoon via his Instagram stories.
“Sometimes you’re the hammer and sometimes you’re the nail,” wrote Blaydes. “This game has a razor thin margin for error and I just got caught, it happens. Props to Derrick. No shame in it, my head’s still held high.”
Blaydes will have to take some time away as he was handed a 60-day medical suspension with 45 days of no contact in the aftermath of the fight. In his return, it is likely he may be given another top-ten ranked heavyweight in what will be the last fight on his current UFC contract.