Curtis Blaydes isn't holding out much hope for a future showdown with Jon Jones to unify the heavyweight championship after his UFC 304 co-main event against Tom Aspinall.
Blaydes, 33, made it clear he's not "holding his breath" for a clash with Jones to ever materialize, raising the stakes for UFC 304 in his mind. If Jones retires after facing Stipe Miocic, the winner of Aspinall vs. Blaydes would elevate from interim to undisputed champion. "That's how I'm viewing it, that's how I'm approaching it," Blaydes said. "When I told my family, my brothers, my dad, my sister, 'I'm fighting for a belt.' I didn't say interim belt. I said a belt."
Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) is currently recovering from an injury and is expected to defend his title against Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) on November 9 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Meanwhile, the UFC has scheduled a rematch between eager interim champion Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) on July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
Aspinall is skeptical about Jones ever fighting him, and Blaydes shares the sentiment. "If I win or if Aspinall wins, I don't think Jon's going to fight anyone outside of Stipe," Blaydes told MMA Junkie. "After Stipe, he walks away into the sunset. He likes to toss out different scenarios like, 'What if I fought Alex Pereira? What if I fought Aspinall? What if I fought Blaydes?' He wants people to talk about him, which I get."
In ordinary circumstances, the winner of Jones vs. Miocic would face the winner of Aspinall vs. Blaydes. However, most expect Jones to win and potentially retire. "Bones" teased a unification bout by calling Aspinall vs. Blaydes a fight for the No. 1 contender spot, but he hasn't made any commitments.
Blaydes is realistic about the situation, understanding Jones' legacy and the strategic moves he's making. "He's skilled at it. He's been on the internet for as long as I've had Facebook and Instagram; he's always been a presence. He knows what he's doing. But do I honestly believe he would risk his legacy against a guy like me? No."
Blaydes compares the debate over Jones' legacy to the age-old argument between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. "Are you going to be like, 'Oh, that was the fight that finally cemented Jon as the GOAT?' Either you believe he's the GOAT already, or you don't."
Forecasting the future with an interim title win, Blaydes believes it won't be an easy path to undisputed status. He expects the heavyweight division to go through a messy stretch, given Jones' track record. "It's not going to be a smooth transition of power," Blaydes said. "He'll 'retire' unofficially, but who knows how long it will take for him to officially retire. However long the UFC allows him to string it along, he'll do it."
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 304.
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