Curtis Blaydes vows to break heavyweight record in UFC Beijing fight with Francis Ngannou

On Saturday night in Beijing, China (early Saturday morning in North America), streaking UFC heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes will look to avenge the lone loss of his MMA career as he takes on former UFC heavyweight title challenger Francis Ngannou.

Heading into this fight, Curtis Blaydes has the opportunity to tie or even break a pretty impressive record in the UFC heavyweight division.

If he completes on takedown on Ngannou, he’ll tie Cain Velasquez’s record for the most takedowns landed by a fighter in the division’s history. If he completes two takedowns, he’ll beat that record.

Curtis Blaydes commented on this possibility on Instagram on Tuesday, assuring he’ll capture the record in the UFC Beijing main event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqZfMvIFMlz/

“History will be made this weekend, doubt me if you want,” Blaydes said.

Speaking on The MMA Hour this week, the streaking American heavyweight made similar comments, explaining that he will most likely wrestle with Ngannou, as the Cameroonian-French knockout artist has shown deficits in the grappling and cardio departments in the past.

“He didn’t have great conditioning then, he doesn’t have great conditioning now,” Curtis Blaydes said (transcript via MMA Mania). “I know if I hold him down for two to three minutes, he’ll be gassed, he’ll be done for. That right there just lets me know I could have beat him back then with all the holes I have in my game and today I’m ten times better than the version of myself that debuted that day. I don’t have to wrestle, but most likely I will wrestle because I know that’s his weakest area of MMA.”

Watch Blaydes attempt to make history at UFC Beijing this Saturday.

Here’s how the card currently stands.

UFC Beijing fight card

Curtis Blaydes vs. Francis Ngannou – Main Event
Alistair Overeem vs. Sergey Pavlovich – Co-main Event
Song Yadong vs. Vince Morales
Li Jingliang vs. David Zawada
Kenan Song vs. Alex Morono
Rashad Coulter vs. Hu Yaozong
Liu Pingyuan vs. Martin Day
Kevin Holland vs. John Philips
Louis Smolka vs. Sumudaerji Sumudaerji
Lauren Mueller vs. Wu Yanan
Zhang Weili vs. Jessica Aguilar
Syuri Kondo vs. Yan Xiaonan

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 11/21/2018.