Curtis Blaydes: Beating Volkov should earn me title shot

Curtis Blaydes feels that beating Alexander Volkov should be enough for him to get a title shot. Blaydes (13-2) – who is 8-2 in the UFC (with both losses coming against Francis Ngannou) – is scheduled to fight Volkov (31-7) at a UFC Fight Night card on June 20th. The event is planned to take place at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“There isn’t anyone else worth it, and I’ll have enough money to sit,” said the former all-American wrestler. “If I have to sit eight months, I have enough, so I’ll be OK.”

While a heavyweight title fight is already set for August 15th between Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic, Blaydes is confident that he could have success against either man. “The way I fight, it’s universal. It works for Stipe, it works for [Cormier].”

Cormier intends to retire after this fight, but Blaydes says he prefers to fight Stipe anyway, as Stipe is “probably the No. 1 or No. 2 heavyweight of all time.”

Blaydes is coming into this fight with a three fight win streak, while Volkov has won 7 of his last 8 (with the one losses being a last minute KO loss to Derrick Lewis at UFC 229 in which Volkov was otherwise dominant). Both are looking to climb the rankings and make their case for getting a title shot.