Blaydes (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Curtis Blaydes used his wrestling and punishing top game to establish himself as a contender in the UFC’s heavyweight division. But, after taking out Junior dos Santos last month, Blaydes has admitted he deliberately stayed away from showcasing his striking in the past.

Blaydes faced the former heavyweight champ at UFC Raleigh, and he was unable to take dos Santos down. In round two, however, Blaydes rocked “Cigano” with a booming right and then finished the fight with follow-up punches.

While speaking with MMA Junkie recently, had this to say about his striking skills and why he hadn’t showcased them before.

“I think we’re always pleased with any fight that ends with a W but, like I said on the night that it happened, to do it in the way we did it, on the feet, I know it wasn’t expected,” Blaydes said. “A lot of people didn’t think I even had the capabilities to do what I did. I knew I could do it, but I didn’t think I would have to resort to that. It was really cool to be able to put it on display for everyone to see. Me and everyone else at the gym, we knew I had hands, but to put it out there, let the world see and to get the W, it was the perfect night.”

“I’ve always been resistant. I go against the grain,” Blaydes said. “I know people want me to stand and bang, and sometimes I don’t, just out of spite. There are guys like Justin Willis, I probably could have knocked him out on the feet, but out of spite, I was like, ‘No, I’m just gonna wrestle(expletive) this guy,’ and that’s what I did.”

Blaydes (13-2, 1 no-contest) is riding a three fight winning streak, and has gone 8-2, with 1 no-contest to date in the UFC.