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Curtis Blaydes Making No Changes For Tom Aspinall Fight At UFC 304: ‘I Don’t Adjust For Anyone’

Despite the hype around Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, Curtis Blaydes isn’t approaching their title fight differently to any other of his bouts. Two years on from their disappointingly short first showdown in London, Aspinall and Blaydes will once again share the Octagon across the pond, this time with championship gold on the line […]

Continue Reading Curtis Blaydes Making No Changes For Tom Aspinall Fight At UFC 304: ‘I Don’t Adjust For Anyone’ at MMA News.

Despite the hype around Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, Curtis Blaydes isn’t approaching their title fight differently to any other of his bouts.

Two years on from their disappointingly short first showdown in London, Aspinall and Blaydes will once again share the Octagon across the pond, this time with championship gold on the line at UFC 304 in Manchester.

Since a knee injury brought their UFC Fight Night headliner to an end after just 15 seconds, Aspinall has gone on to recover, bounce back, and claim the interim belt. Blaydes, meanwhile, has remained high up the ladder courtesy of a victory over Jailton Almeida earlier this year.

With that, and with champion Jon Jones choosing to welcome Stipe Miocic back to the cage over unifying the titles, Aspinall will defend his interim belt against Blaydes, who is heading back to enemy territory with a ‘business as usual’ approach…

Blaydes Explains Why UFC 304 Camp Has Been ‘Same Old’ Strategy

Speaking to the media while in attendance at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Denver, Colorado, Blaydes looked ahead to his first opportunity to capture gold on MMA’s biggest stage.

When asked about his preparation for the co-headliner on July 27, the 33-year-old Illinois native said it’s been a familiar story throughout fight camp, with no changes or additions based on his opposition.

“Conditioning (has been the focus in camp). That’s the same old,” Blaydes said. “I don’t adjust for anyone. I have prepared for this fight the same way I prepare for everyone. I don’t like to add extra adjustments, extra things to think about. There’s already a whole lot, we don’t need to add anything else.

“Just a normal, standard fight camp,” Blaydes continued. “Eight weeks of sparring, drilling, running, icing; normal stuff.”

Blaydes will hope that approach helps him to repeat the official result from his 2022 UFC Fight Night headliner against Aspinall, albeit in a more legitimate and emphatic way.

Should he accomplish that feat, “Razor” will have a UFC title in his possession for the very first time, and the current talk of a unification fight between Aspinall and Jon Jones will switch to Blaydes vs. “Bones.”

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Continue Reading Curtis Blaydes Making No Changes For Tom Aspinall Fight At UFC 304: ‘I Don’t Adjust For Anyone’ at MMA News.

Kamaru Usman Calls For Leon Edwards’ ‘Killer’ To Come Out At UFC 304: ‘If You Know You’re The Top Dog…’

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman wants to see more from the man who dethroned him back in 2022. Since securing a memorable crowning with a last-gasp head kick knockout back at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City, Edwards has gone on to defend the title successfully twice in a pair of pay-per-view main events […]

Continue Reading Kamaru Usman Calls For Leon Edwards’ ‘Killer’ To Come Out At UFC 304: ‘If You Know You’re The Top Dog…’ at MMA News.

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman wants to see more from the man who dethroned him back in 2022.

Since securing a memorable crowning with a last-gasp head kick knockout back at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City, Edwards has gone on to defend the title successfully twice in a pair of pay-per-view main events opposite Usman and Colby Covington.

And like his trilogy triumph over “The Nigerian Nightmare” in March 2023, the champ’s next assignment will see him headline on home soil.

At UFC 304 on July 27, “Rocky” will make the walk inside Manchester’s newly built Co-op Live arena for his third defense. Looking to bring his divisional rule to an end on this occasion is Belal Muhammad, as they run it back over three years on from a no contest at the Apex.

Among those set to play close attention to how the main event plays out across the pond this month is Usman, and he’s called for Edwards bring out a different “Rocky” on fight night…

Usman Urges Edwards To Prove He’s ‘Top Dog’

While appearing on the ESPN desk to analyse the action at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Denver, Usman looked ahead to his division’s upcoming title joust in Manchester.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” had some good things to say about his former three-time opponent. However, he still wants to see more from Edwards as champion, especially when it comes to showing his “killer” instinct to those pursuing his gold from below.

“I like Leon. You know, being a champion, he definitely has real skills,” Usman said. “But I feel like, as a fan now, I’m as frustrated as a fan because this fight should have happened already. It’s been such a long time ago. But I’m glad we’re finally able to get the fight, and for Leon to actually go in there and prove to people that he is high up on that pound-for-pound list.

“I think it’s a good fight. I like the confident wave that Leon is carrying now. I think he understands the responsibility of being a champion; how you kind of have to train, the mentality that you kind of have to have,” Usman continued. “But just a little thing I would like to see from him is that killer come out. If you know you’re the top dog, you gotta prove it to each and every contender who wants your spot.”

If Edwards’ prediction for fight night rings true, Usman can perhaps expects his advice to be heeded.

While the champ’s two defenses thus far have gone the distance, “Rocky” has vowed to put his rivalry with Muhammad to bed by way of a violent knockout in the UFC 304 main event later this month.

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Read More: Leon Edwards Breaks Down & Predicts UFC 304 Fights Featuring Fellow Countrymen Tom Aspinall, Paddy Pimblett, & More

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Ex-champion Kamaru Usman wants to see ‘the killer come out’ of Leon Edwards in UFC 304 title fight

Leon Edwards is less than two weeks away from his next big title defense. Headlining the promotion’s return to…

Leon Edwards is less than two weeks away from his next big title defense.

Headlining the promotion’s return to Manchester on Saturday, July 27, ‘Rocky’ will put his welterweight title on the line in a long-awaited clash with the division’s top-ranked contender Belal Muhammad.

Kamaru Usman, the man Edwards took the title off of with the “kick heard around the world” at UFC 278, offered his assessment of the UFC 304 headliner, suggesting that it’s a tough one to call considering both men have been on the shelf for some time.

However, he does believe that a win for ‘Rocky’ will help push his former foe’s name up the coveted P4P rankings.

“I like Leon being a champion, I think he definitely has real skills but as a fan now, I’m frustrated as a fan because this fight should have happened already,” Usman said.

“It’s been such a long time but I’m glad that we were finally about to get the fight and for Leon to actually go in there and prove to people that he is high up on that pound-for-pound list because you know, I got my reservations on the order of that list” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Leon Edwards’ is often touted as one of the best fighters on the planet courtesy of his technical prowess that has dismantled some of the biggest names in the game. Unfortunately, ‘Rocky’ hasn’t exactly lit up the Octagon with his performances. In particular, his trilogy fight with the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ at UFC 286 and his uneventful showdown with Colby Covington last December.

Usman hopes to see the “killer” in Leon Edwards come out against Belal Muhammad when the champ competes in front of his home country at Co-op Live in the UK.

“I think it’s a good fight, I like the confident way in that Leon is carrying [himself], I think he understands the responsibility of being a champion, how you kind of have to train the mentality that you have to have,” Usman added. “Just a little thing that I would like to see from him is that killer come out because if you know that you’re the top dog, you got to prove it to each and every contender who wants your spot.”

Kamaru Usman is not a fan of leon edwards and Belal Muhammad waiting so long to fight

While neither Leon Edwards nor Belal Muhammad has fought in 2024, ‘Remember The Name’ will be returning after an especially long layoff, having last fought at UFC 288 all the way back in May 2023. On that night, Muhammad scored a big win over Gilbert Burns, extending his unbeaten streak to nine straight.

With the UFC choosing to hand Covington another unearned title opportunity in December, Muhammad opted to sit out instead of putting his spot on the line against another top-10 contender. Some might consider that a smart decision, but Usman believes there are benefits to staying active in the fight game.

“The one thing that I don’t like about this is the layoff, the time that these guys are sitting [out],” Usman said. “This is why boxers are fighting every other month, they’re fighting [often] because that’s how you get into your groove, that’s how you elevate yourself to see if all the stuff that you’ve been working on can actually work.

“When you have these long layoffs and you get in there, your timing is a little bit off, you’re a little gun-shy sometimes, and especially if you’re a champion when you have this long layoff – that mountain of defending starts to get heavier, and heavier, and heavier.”

Ex-champion Kamaru Usman wants to see ‘the killer come out’ of Leon Edwards in UFC 304 title fight

Leon Edwards is less than two weeks away from his next big title defense. Headlining the promotion’s return to…

Leon Edwards is less than two weeks away from his next big title defense.

However, he does believe that a win for ‘Rocky’ will help push his former foe’s name up the coveted P4P rankings.

“I like Leon being a champion, I think he definitely has real skills but as a fan now, I’m frustrated as a fan because this fight should have happened already,” Usman said.

“It’s been such a long time but I’m glad that we were finally about to get the fight and for Leon to actually go in there and prove to people that he is high up on that pound-for-pound list because you know, I got my reservations on the order of that list” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Usman hopes to see the “killer” in Leon Edwards come out against Belal Muhammad when the champ competes in front of his home country at Co-op Live in the UK.

“I think it’s a good fight, I like the confident way in that Leon is carrying [himself], I think he understands the responsibility of being a champion, how you kind of have to train the mentality that you have to have,” Usman added. “Just a little thing that I would like to see from him is that killer come out because if you know that you’re the top dog, you got to prove it to each and every contender who wants your spot.”

Kamaru Usman is not a fan of leon edwards and Belal Muhammad waiting so long to fight

“The one thing that I don’t like about this is the layoff, the time that these guys are sitting [out],” Usman said. “This is why boxers are fighting every other month, they’re fighting [often] because that’s how you get into your groove, that’s how you elevate yourself to see if all the stuff that you’ve been working on can actually work.

“When you have these long layoffs and you get in there, your timing is a little bit off, you’re a little gun-shy sometimes, and especially if you’re a champion when you have this long layoff – that mountain of defending starts to get heavier, and heavier, and heavier.”

UFC 304’s Paddy Pimblett claims Bobby Green changing his name proves that ‘CTE is real’

Paddy Pimblett is convinced that King Green is suffering from CTE. Recently, lightweight standout Bobby Green revealed that he…

Paddy Pimblett is convinced that King Green is suffering from CTE.

Recently, lightweight standout Bobby Green revealed that he had officially changed his first name to King weeks ahead of his return to the Octagon at UFC 304.

Meeting him in Manchester will be Paddy Pimblett, who had plenty to say about Green’s name change during a recent interview, suggesting that his lightweight rival may have taken a few too many shots to the dome.

“No, his name is Bobby, lad,” Pimblett told MMA Junkie. “He was born Bobby, he was Christened Bobby, his mom, and daddy call him Bobby. His name is Bobby. … The fact that he’s changed his name at nearly 40 years of age shows that CTE is real.”

‘The Baddy’ pointed to Green’s recent outings, specifically a brutal knockout loss against Jalin Turner that saw Green absorb a slew of unnecessary strikes.

“I do think it’s still affecting him because he got clipped with a few shots against Jim Miller [at UFC 300], who’s not a big puncher … I think he’s a little bit chinny now. Not even just the Jalin Turner one, he got knocked out clean by Drew Dober as well a couple of months before that.”

Paddy Pimblett says King Green is ‘stuck up his own a**’

Green has had plenty to say about Pimblett in the weeks leading up to their clash in the UK, going so far as to suggest that he’ll finish ‘The Baddy’ in a manner that will allow him to make a quick turnaround for a fight with Dan Hooker in Perth.

“He’s an arrogant c*nt,” Pimblett said. “He’s very arrogant. He’s stuck up his own a**. He thinks he’s better than he is. That’s the way I look at it.”

Pimplett goes into the bout with a spotless record inside the Octagon, scoring five-straight wins including a unanimous decision victory over former interim champion Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 in December.

Green, on the other hand, is carrying a far less exciting 13-10 record under the UFC banner, but heads into his next bout having won three of his last four, the most recent coming against Jim Miller at the promotion’s landmark event in April.

Ciryl Gane denies refusing fight with UFC 304 star Tom Aspinall: ‘No problem, we’ll meet each other’

Former interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane has denied refusing to fight incoming UFC 304 headliner and current interim titleholder,…

Former interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane has denied refusing to fight incoming UFC 304 headliner and current interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall – claiming the British star has been strategic with his callouts, limiting them to periods when he cannot compete.

Gane, the current number two ranked heavyweight challenger, booked his return to the Octagon overnight, landing a rematch with surging Russian ace, Alexander Volkov in a showdown at UFC 308 in October in a trip to Abu Dhabi.

As for current interim kingpin, Aspinall, the Atherton native co-headlines UFC 304 at the end of this month, himself rematching perennial contender, Curtis Blaydes – attempting to defend his championship.

And initially linked with a showdown against Gane on the same card in Manchester, rumors surfaced that the Frenchman had turned down the pairing, choosing instead to feature in an upcoming movie in an acting role.

Ciryl Gane reflects on home robbery during UFC Paris he did a great job — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

Ciryl Gane offers to meet Tom Aspinall sooner than later

However, off the back of booking his Middle East matchup with Volkov, Gane has claimed he will eventually share the Octagon with Aspinall in the future, after voicing his dismay with the timing of his callouts.

“He (Tom Aspinall) only accepts my fights when I cannot,” Ciryl Gane said on Twitch. “He likes to say that I refuse him but the truth is that I have already called him out on the networks. Now that he is above [in the rankings[, he allows himself to say, ‘No, no, no’. No problem, we’ll meet each other.” (via Google Translate)

Sidelined since last year’s annual UFC Paris event in September, hometown favorite, Gane most recently landed a shutout knockout win over common-foe, Serghei Spivak in front of a raucous crowd at the Accor Arena.

Prior to that, Gane dropped just his second career loss in the form of a dominant opening round guillotine choke submission loss to Jon Jones in the pair’s vacant heavyweight championship showdown.

Who would win in a future title showdown: Tom Aspinall or Ciryl Gane?