Curtis Blaydes’, one of the most formidable heavyweights in the UFC, has consistently proven his mettle with an impressive record and relentless work ethic. As he gears up for UFC 304, his journey and preparation offer a compelling insight into what it takes to be a top contender in the octagon.
Early Beginnings
Curtis Blaydes’, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, found his passion for wrestling during high school. Excelling in the sport, he clinched a state title and set his sights on collegiate wrestling. However, his path took a turn when he decided to transition into mixed martial arts (MMA), bringing his grappling prowess into the cage. He made the move to Denver, Colorado and his path to the UFC heavyweight belt was paved.
The Rise in the Ranks
Blaydes’ made his professional MMA debut in 2014 and quickly garnered attention with his wrestling dominance and ground-and-pound capabilities. After an impressive start, he caught the eye of the UFC and made his debut in 2016. Despite a challenging start against Francis Ngannou, Blaydes demonstrated resilience and continued to evolve, securing victories against some of the heavyweight division’s toughest fighters. The loss to Ngannou proved as new beginnings as this is when he met Cody Donovan and Vinnie Lopez who have become his main coaches since.
Training Regimen
Preparing for UFC 304, Blaydes’ training camp is a blend of intense physical conditioning, technical skill development, and strategic planning. His regimen includes:
Wrestling and Grappling: Staying true to his roots, Blaydes’ dedicates significant time to refining his wrestling skills. He trains with high-level wrestlers and grapplers, ensuring his takedowns, control, and ground-and-pound are sharper than ever. Coach Cody Donovan’s speciality is the ground and pound is Blaydes’ executes it perfectly.
Striking: Under the watchful eye of striking coach, Vinnie Lopez, Blaydes’ is recognizing the importance of being a well-rounded fighter, Blaydes’ continuously works on his striking. He trains with expert striking coaches to enhance his boxing and kickboxing aiming to become a more versatile threat. His striking has improved with every fight and his heavy hands are sharper and faster than ever.
Strength and Conditioning: Blaydes’ conditioning routine at Vital Strength and Fitness is grueling. It includes a mix of weightlifting, cardiovascular training, and plyometrics to build explosive power, endurance, and agility. His workouts are designed to ensure he can maintain peak performance throughout the fight. He has been running in high altitudes to build his endurance for this five round fight.
Recovery and Nutrition: Understanding the importance of recovery, Blaydes incorporates techniques like cryotherapy, massage therapy, and proper sleep. His diet is meticulously planned to fuel his body optimally, focusing on high-quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, and essential fats.
Mental Preparation: Beyond physical readiness, Blaydes’ places a significant emphasis on mental preparation. He works with sports psychologists to enhance his focus, resilience, and tactical mindset. Visualization techniques, meditation, and mental drills are integral parts of his routine, ensuring he enters the octagon with a clear and confident mindset. Blaydes’ said, “Ten weeks of work to fulfill a dream over a decade old” as he entered camp for this interm title fight.
Blaydes’ is focused and determined to bring that belt back to Colorado. Come cheer him on with his fight team, Forge Fight Club, at High Altitude Martial Arts.
