Manchester – UFC heavyweight Curtis Blaydes is challenging Tom Aspinall for the interim title at UFC 304 on Saturday night, but he’s also got some opinions on the actual champion and being the pound-for-pound best.
“You’ve got to be active. This isn’t like a skill-based thing. This is an activity thing. He hasn’t been that active,” Blaydes said of Jon Jones to reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“Can’t be the best if you’re not being active.”
Blaydes (18-4) didn’t just answer questions about Jones. UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira could be the next big name to make their way to his division. A matchup with Pereira would be huge for Blaydes, but according to the heavyweight, wouldn’t be a win for Poatan.
“Bad idea,” Blaydes said of Pereira’s expected move to heavyweight.
“Him, I’ll give you my premeditated plan. Going to shoot. Immediately. Why would I give him any chance to knock me out on the feet when I know I can take him down at will?”
Blaydes makes a good point as Pereira has been taken down plenty in his UFC career, but nobody has really been able to keep him down. Pereira would need, as Blaydes put it, a specific heavyweight.
“I think he’s looking for a specific heavyweight not any heavyweight. I can see him beating guys like Tai (Tuivasa). Maybe the bottom of the top 15, but you give him a top 5 with some real weight he’s not winning,” he said.
“I would f*ck up Alex Pereira.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Curtis Blaydes above. He takes on Tom Aspinall at UFC 304 on Saturday night.
