Curtis Blaydes routes Alexander Volkov in UFC on ESPN 11 most important event

Curtis Blaydes place on a person of the most dominant performances of his career at UFC on ESPN 11 on Saturday in Las Vegas. He got the far better of Alexander Volkov throughout their five-round primary occasion, though he may nevertheless have to hold out for a title shot.

Blaydes asserted his dominance from the opening bell. He pumped a few jabs, location up a rapid double-leg takedown. From there, he retained Volkov on the canvas for the better element of the to start with spherical, driving knees into his thigh and buttocks, as effectively as driving home tricky still left fingers to the head.

Every time Volkov tried using to regain his toes, Blaydes tossed him again to the canvas, in which he landed extra knees and remaining fingers.

Spherical two commenced with Blaydes all over again storming Volkov, this time landing some brutal punch combinations and mixing in small kicks, inevitably placing up yet another explosive double-leg takedown.

Volkov tried using to regain his toes, but Blaydes again planted him on the canvas, this time in the center of the Octagon exactly where he began to ground and pound from within the Russian’s total guard. Volkov tried using to fireplace elbows off of his again, but Blaydes returned fire with his individual brutal elbows crashing into Volkov’s head.

Volkov came out kicking in the fourth frame, but Blaydes deftly evaded the kicks and yet again brought him to the flooring. Volkov returned to his ft, but Blaydes taken care of back again regulate, driving knees into his thighs and buttocks all over again.

Not to be denied, Volkov once again returned to his ft. Blaydes shot, but Volkov fought his way by way of it and began trading photographs. Blaydes acquired the far better of him with his jab and then shot another double-leg to put Volkov again on the canvas.

Again doing the job from within the Russian’s comprehensive guard, Blaydes returned to his ground and pound attack, while considerably slower than in the previously rounds. Volkov tied up Blaydes’s arms, virtually forcing a stand-up, but couldn’t preserve his grip.

Blaydes tried using to get his ground and pound going yet again, but Volkov drove elbows into his skull prior to tying up his arms again. This time, he compelled the stand-up.

Volkov, acknowledging he was in determined straights, unloaded a barrage of punches and shot to score his individual takedown. Regretably for him, there was tiny time remaining in the round to do anything at all.

Spherical 5 opened with the fighters exchanging punches, Volkov getting the much better of Blaydes with an uppercut and a sharp jab. Volkov followed with a challenging kick, but it was not more than enough.

While Blaydes looked really tired, he dug deep, shot, and took Volkov to the canvas again.

Volkov bided his time, employing hand command to scoot out from below Blaydes and return to his ft, even though he ate a challenging appropriate hand on the way up.

Blaydes shot yet again, driving Volkov into the fence with just two minutes left in the struggle. Even though Volkov peppered Blaydes with a several proper palms, Blaydes held after him and set Volkov on his again, again working his floor and pound from inside full guard.

Volkov drove elbows from his again, but couldn’t do any important damage as Blaydes preserved command right until the final horn.

It almost certainly was not the blistering general performance that Blaydes necessary to jump previous Francis Ngannou to land in a title fight, but it was a dominant performance from the No. 3 contender in the UFC heavyweight division a person that he can build off of as he hopes to get into the championship mix.

“Volkov was a ton tougher than I assumed to just take down. He was real solid,” Blaydes explained after the fight.

“It’s usually good practical experience to know that you can go 25 minutes. I’m satisfied with the win. Volkov is legit. And now I’m hunting at that title shot.”

Ranked No. 2 in the division and with two victories more than Blaydes, Ngannou will be a hard contender to leapfrog. Fresh off of a knockout victory in excess of Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249 on May possibly 9, he is the reputable top contender in the UFC heavyweight division not named Daniel Cormier.

Stipe Miocic will place his UFC heavyweight title on the line opposite Cormier on Aug. 15 to conclude their trilogy. Although Blaydes wants a crack at the winner, that will likely go to Ngannou.

So exactly where does Blaydes go from right here? Even he isn’t positive.

“After that struggle, there’s nowhere to go proper now. So I’m waiting around.”

(Photograph courtesy of UFC/Getty Visuals)

UFC on ESPN 11: Blaydes vs. Volkov Brief Effects

Primary Card (8 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+)

Curtis Blaydes def. Alexander Volkov by unanimous final decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-46)
Josh Emmett def. Shane Burgos by unanimous final decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
Raquel Pennington def. Marion Reneau by unanimous selection (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Belal Muhammad def. Lyman Excellent by unanimous final decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jim Miller def. Roosevelt Roberts by submission (armbar) at 2:25, R1

Prelims (5 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+)

Bobby Inexperienced def. Clay Guida by unanimous selection (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Tecia Torres def. Brianna Van Buren by unanimous choice (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Marc-Andre Barriault def. Oskar Piechota by TKO (punches) at 4:50, R2
Gillian Robertson def. Cortney Casey by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:32, R3
Justin Jaynes def. Frank Camacho by TKO (punches) at :41, R1
Lauren Murphy def. Roxanne Modafferi by unanimous determination (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Austin Hubbard def. Max Rohskapf by TKO (retirement) at 5:00, R2