Curtis Blaydes vs Justin Willis Preview

Curtis Blaydes vs Justin Willis Preview

By Ivan Surlina

The UFC is looking to put on its eighth consecutive weekend show this Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee, live from the Bridgestone Arena. Of course, all eyes will be on the main event as Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson takes on former lightweight champion Anthony “Showtime” Pettis. However, a fight that I believe is flying under the radar is the co-main event of the evening.

The co-main features two top 10 heavyweight contenders in Curtis “Razor” Blaydes and Justin “Big Pretty” Willis. Curtis Blaydes is ranked as the #4 contender in the division, while Willis sits at #10.

Justin Willis has won his last eight fights in a row, with the last four being under the UFC banner. Willis is coming off the biggest win of his career when he defeated kickboxing legend Mark Hunt in December of last year. “Big Pretty” proved to be too much for Hunt to handle as he cruised to a unanimous decision victory. A win over Blaydes would most likely catapult Willis into the top 5 of the rankings, setting himself up for a big fight versus one of the elites in the heavyweight division.

As for Curtis Blaydes, he is coming off of a disappointing knockout loss to Francis Ngannou. The two squared off in the main event of UFC Fight Night 141 in Beijing in November of 2018. The contest was over before it really even began as Ngannou clipped Blaydes behind the ear with a powerful right hand. The strike sent Curtis to the mat where Ngannou eventually finished him off with strikes just 45 seconds into the contest.

It seems this bout has been set up to favour whichever fighter can best implement their style and game plan. Blaydes, an NJCAA national champion in wrestling, will look to feint and get inside on Willis in order to take him to the mat. Blaydes has seen great success in the octagon with his wrestling attributes, as he was able to take down Alistair Overeem at UFC 225 last June and finish him with devastating elbows. I would assume the game plan will be the same for this fight as well. Willis has yet to face a top-level wrestler and this matchup with Blaydes will silence the doubters if he is able to stuff takedowns, stay on his feet, and secure the victory.

Justin Willis is very much a kickboxer, utilizing range and being able to land with his precise jab. He trains at the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) with the likes of Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez. Training with those two championship level wrestlers everyday will surely give Willis confidence in his takedown defense. Willis will look to keep Blaydes at a distance and not let him get close enough initiate a grappling exchange. If Willis is able to keep Blaydes at bay and on the outside, it is going to be a long night for Curtis.

Personally, I see Blaydes rebounding from his latest loss and defeating Justin Willis by unanimous decision. I foresee Blaydes’ cardio and powerful wrestling skills being too much for Willis to handle this early in his UFC career, handing him his first loss in the octagon.

Regardless of the outcome, I see this being an entertaining fight with Willis landing a few shots early and Blaydes repeatedly taking it to the canvas. The outcome of this bout will determine which of these men belongs in the top 5 of the heavyweight division.