UFC 304: Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes
Peter Maiorano

UFC 304: Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes

The interim heavyweight title is on the line at UFC 304. Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes face off in a highly anticipated rematch. Aspinall, fighting out of Manchester, England, is 14-3. Blaydes, from Chicago, Illinois, comes in at 18-4 (1 NC) record.

Tom Aspinall

  • Record: 14-3
  • Fighting Out Of: Manchester, England
  • Style: Well-rounded fighter with strong striking and grappling skills
  • Recent Fights:
    • Sergei Pavlovich (November 11, 2023) – Win by KO
    • Marcin Tybura (July 22, 2023) – Win by TKO
    • Curtis Blaydes (July 23, 2022) Loss by TKO

Curtis Blaydes

  • Record: 18-4 (1 NC)
  • Fighting Out Of: Chicago, Illinois
  • Style: Wrestler with powerful ground-and-pound
  • Recent Fights:
    • Jailton Almeida (March 9, 2024) Win by KO
    • Sergei Pavlovich (April 22, 2023) – Loss by TKO
    • Tom Aspinall (July 23, 2022) – Win by TKO
UFC 304: Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes

Matchup Analysis

Striking

  • Aspinall: Technical striker with knockout power and excellent movement.
  • Blaydes: Solid striking with powerful punches, but primarily known for his wrestling.

Grappling

  • Aspinall: Well-rounded grappling skills with submission proficiency.
  • Blaydes: Dominant wrestler with effective takedowns and ground-and-pound.

X-Factor

  • Aspinall: Stays composed while capitalizing on striking opportunities avoiding takedowns.
  • Blaydes: Ability to impose his wrestling game and neutralize striking.

Recent Common Opponents

Sergei Pavlovich

  • Tom Aspinall: Faced Sergei Pavlovich on November 11, 2023, and won by KO.
  • Curtis Blaydes: Fought Sergei Pavlovich on April 22, 2023, and lost by TKO.

Alexander Volkov

  • Tom Aspinall: Faced Alexander Volkov on March 19, 2022, and won by Submission.
  • Curtis Blaydes: Fought Alexander Volkov on June 20, 2020, and won by UD.

Prediction

Clash of styles. Aspinall will aim to use his striking and movement to avoid Blaydes’ takedowns, while Blaydes will look to impose his wrestling and ground-and-pound. If Aspinall can keep the fight standing and utilize his speed and technical striking, he has a good chance of winning by KO or decision. However, if Blaydes can secure takedowns and control the fight on the ground, he could win by TKO or decision. Ultimately, Aspinall’s attempts to get the early win fails, leading to a huge upset. Blaydes takes home the interim championship with a TKO victory in the second round.

Thank you for reading my UFC 304: Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes. For more UFC insights, head to my Pete’s Sports UFC Page and follow me on Twitter/X. For MMA, Boxing, and other sports articles, check out Pete’s Sports Blog. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more videos. Image credits: Julian Finney/Getty Images & Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images.

Leave a Reply