Curtis Blaydes, a prominent heavyweight contender, expresses his desire for fighters like Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya to resolve their conflicts and bring more harmony to the world of MMA.
Recently, ‘The Last Stylebender’ shared a video on his YouTube channel, showcasing a surprising and lighthearted moment between himself and Jon Jones, as they put their differences aside and engaged in an impromptu sparring session.
Such occurrences are uncommon in a sport where controversy often generates attention and financial gains.
Blaydes draws inspiration from Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones
During an interview with The Schmo, Blaydes expressed his admiration for the recent display of sportsmanship between two prominent figures in the promotion.
He believes that fostering more mutual respect among fighters is crucial for the UFC to establish itself as a legitimate sport in the eyes of the public.
Curtis Blaydes is a big fan of @JonnyBones @stylebender đ„© Squashing #TheSchmoandThePro FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/qbtJK8sDv2 pic.twitter.com/lxpUXr4vlo
— The Schmo (@TheSchmo312) July 12, 2023
âI think itâs nice. I would like in the future for MMA to get away from this misconception that you have to hate your opponent,â Blaydes said.
âThat you have to hate your division. You have to hate people. I donât have to hate you to beat you up. Iâve never hated anyone Iâve ever fought. I donât think Iâve been hated by anybody Iâve ever fought.
We donât need to have all this âF you and F your mom.â We donât need that to be a legitimate sport. â
Curtis boasts an Octagon record of 12 wins, 4 losses, and one no-contest, contributing to his overall professional record of 17 wins and 4 losses.
Currently occupying the fourth position in the heavyweight rankings, he trails behind Stipe Miocic, Ciryl Gane, and the top-ranked contender, Sergei Pavlovich.
Adesanya reveals his beef with Jon Jones is over
Israel and Jones have engaged in verbal exchanges on multiple occasions in the past few years. Despite the anticipation of a light heavyweight bout between the two, it never came to fruition.
However, it seems that the issues between the fighters may now be in the past. ‘The Last Stylebender’ recently opened up about his relationship with ‘Bones.’
In a noteworthy revelation, Jon declared that Adesanya is his favorite fighter in the UFC. He commended his former rival for his impressive comeback against Alex Pereira.
Addressing the praise during a recent appearance on the IMPAULSIVE podcast, ‘The Last Stylebender’ responded:
“There’s enough room for us to shine. We can be in our own lanes and be great. I’ve been a fan of Jon since I saw him at [UFC] 94… We had beef and for a few years, it was like that… but real recognize real, I’ll put it that way.”
Despite the prolonged anticipation, it seems highly improbable that Adesanya and Jones will face each other in the ring. Especially considering the fact that, Jon is scheduled to face Stipe and Dricus is probably the next opponent for Izzy.
What are your thoughts on this new development between Jones and Adesanya? Let us know in the comment section below.
