Curtis Blaydes won’t risk $100K of his UFC Vegas 19 pay to stand-and-bang with Derrick Lewis

Curtis Blaydes caught a lot of backlash from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President, Dana White, after “Razor” wrestled his way to a dominant win over Alexander Volkov at UFC Vegas 3 in June 2020. Much of it had to do with Blaydes talking about a pay bump prior to the bout ... and White didn’t feel a performance like that deserved one.

Despite the backlash, Blaydes said he would not change his stance when it came to getting paid, nor will change his fighting style and risk losing half of his pay just to please a select few people.

That’s why he isn’t keeping it a secret that he plans on taking down Derrick Lewis and keeping him there as long as possible when the two men throw down this Saturday night (Feb. 20, 2021) at UFC Vegas 19.

“I know a lot of people don’t care, I have a family,” he said during an interview with ESPN. “I’m out here trying to feed my family. I don’t care if you want me to risk my win bonus, which is $100K. You want me to risk $100K to stand and bang with a guy who has terrible wrestling? Nah, I am just not going to do it.”

Grappling with “Black Beast” is the obvious best course of action for anyone locked in the cage with him because the heavy-handed big man has perhaps the most devastating knockout power the sport has ever seen (evidence here).

And since Daniel Cormier already proved that taking down the big man and grinding out a win is the best way to a victory, Blaydes is ready to follow that blueprint even if he draws the ire of fans along the way.

To see the entire UFC Vegas 19: “Blaydes vs. Lewis” fight card click here.