Curtis Blaydes has spoken out for the first time since suffering a shock knockout loss to Derrick Lewis on February 20.
Blaydes and ‘The Black Beast’ squared off in a highly anticipated main event at UFC Vegas 19.
‘Razor’ started well and clearly won round one with superior striking.
The tables turned in round two when Blaydes shot in for a takedown and was caught clean with a picture-perfect Lewis uppercut.
Blaydes fell statuesque to the floor and the fight was over.
Speaking to James Lynch for LowKickMMA, Blaydes took the time to reflect on the fight.
“First round, I won it hands down,” Blaydes said. “I was faster, I was early. I was touching him up (with) calf kick, jabs, elbows (and) knees. We were doing what we had discussed, and everything was going great.
“The next round Sometimes when I get aggressive and I’m hunting the takedown, I forget everything else and I just go into takedown mode. That’s where he got me.”
“I put my head down there and ate an uppercut,” Blaydes continued. “Lessons were learned and I wanna grow. I have already grown mentally, and I think physically the skills are going to continue to grow. I don’t know if we are going to get the rematch because I know Derrick is a little older and he doesn’t really seem like the type of guy who’s going to be around four or five years from now.
Despite losing at UFC Vegas 19, Blaydes maintains he is a better fighter than Lewis and would beat the fan favourite 90 percent of the time.
“I’m not too worried about it,” Blaydes said. “He was the better fighter that night. But, in no way do I think he is better than me. Nine out of ten times I think I smash him. I think, he just got me you know.”
Do you think Curtis Blaydes would beat Derrick Lewis in a rematch?