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“Anything involving Jon Jones in MMA is usually good.”
Curtis Blaydes will be looking to take a crack at the UFC heavyweight title with a win over Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night 185, but the surging contender has no problem with Jon Jones potentially leapfrogging him in his heavyweight debut.
Speaking to theScore’s Nick Baldwin in a recent interview, ‘Razor’ Blaydes explained why a potential Jones heavyweight title shot would be great for the the division and said it would be ‘childish’ to complain about the situation.
“Another exciting potential future matchup,” Blaydes said about Jones’ move up to heavyweight. “It opens up the door to potentially beat a guy like Jon Jones. You beat him, you’re pretty much a GOAT. I think it’s cool. It adds a lot of eyes to the division, a lot more interest, which is always good. Anything involving Jon Jones in MMA is usually good.”
“I know how it is. It’s a business,” he added. “Jon Jones puts asses in seats. I’m not gonna get upset about it because that would be childish. … It doesn’t make me mad or anything.”
Blaydes is on a four-fight win streak and thinks he would be more than deserving of a title shot with a win over Lewis, but the 29-year-old doesn’t plan to sit on the sidelines and stay inactive if ‘Bones’ gets the first crack at the belt.
“I’m not really gonna worry about it,” Blaydes said. “They could tell me one thing and (take it back) because it’s not in the contracts. So it really doesn’t matter. I just want to win and earn another paycheck and hold my ranking. I know eventually it will be my turn. As long as I don’t lose, I’ll get my crack at it.”
“I’m not gonna just not earn paychecks for months. We don’t get paid that much. This ain’t the NFL. We can’t afford to be out for too long. I would just fight somebody. I’m trying to pad my stats, crack (Georges St-Pierre)’s takedown record, and eventually get my title shot. I’m only 29. I’m gonna be here. I ain’t going nowhere. I got eight more years at the minimum.”
UFC Fight Night 185, which is expected to feature Blaydes vs. Lewis as the main event, is scheduled to take place later this year, Nov. 28 at a TBD location.