Curtis Blaydes (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Derrick Lewis has consistently shown an ability to power up back to his feet, when he’s been taken down in the Octagon. But, according to Curtis Blaydes, the heavyweight will have a much tougher time doing that when they fight Saturday.

Blaydes is booked to fight his fellow contender in the main event of UFC Vegas 15, which will be hosted by the Apex Facility. Due to the fearsome power Lewis possesses, many of his opponents have taken the heavyweight down, only to see him get right back up.

But, while talking to the media recently, Blaydes had this take on the ground game of Lewis (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“People aren’t doing their research on who are the people taking him down, who are the people that he’s standing up against,” Blaydes said. “The thing is, he’s getting taken down by everybody. Blagoy Ivanov took him down. Ilir Latifi took him down. Alexander Volkov took him down. Marcin Tybura took him down. Everyone took him down, but these guys aren’t even good grapplers.

“When a good grappler takes you down, you don’t just get up. You need technique to get up, and that’s the thing: The UFC has protected him. He hasn’t gotten a good grappler. Now he’s getting one. He’s not just going to stand up. That’s disrespectful to all the years of wrestling I’ve put into my own game. I’ve worked too hard at this. The muscle memory is too locked in. That’s not how it works.”

Lewis (24-7) is coming off a stoppage win over renowned, submission artist, Alexey Oleynik in August. The #4 ranked heavyweight is 3-2 in his last 5 bouts.

Blaydes (14-2), meanwhile, recorded a decision win over Alexander Volkov in July. The powerful wrestler, who is ranked #2 in the heavyweight division, has won four in a row.