A biography for Curtis Blaydeshasn’t been written yet.
“I'm not saying we need to make $20 million a fight but top guys like Jon Jones, Jorge, McGregor and those other top guys, they should be making a minimum of $5 million per fight. That should cause a trickle down effect.”
“The opportunities that are given to a champion, or even a former champion are opportunities that are - they just aren't there for guys who don't have that attached to their name. It's like, once you put that on your resume, you can do a lot. You can do a lot of stuff. A lot of jobs open up. A lot of sponsorships open up.”
“I've always respected Mark Hunt, I don't have the style, obviously, but you can't help respect a guy who's been doing it for as long as he has at the level he has. I know he doesn't have the best record, but everyone knows he only fights the best of the best.”
“I'm not a black belt, but in MMA, the difference between a black belt and white belt is just a few elbows.”
“I have a family to provide for and whatever I have to do to accomplish that, that's what I'm going to do. If that doesn't fit into people's idea of how I should fight, that's not my problem.”
“I enter every fight with the same exact mindset: All my focus is on my effort and output.”
“Actually having training partners helps. Actually having coaches helps.”
“I think a lot of people think that MMA fighters are meatheads who don't care about their bodies. They think we don't care about getting CTE and being able to live a long and healthy life. I don't know about anyone else, I do care.”
“If you want this sport to grow, you need to provide more amenities for us as far as training. You can't have guys who are ranked who have to drive for Uber. That's embarrassing.”
“There's a lot of guys who don't have one-punch knockout power that have the belt. Khabib, he had the belt. Izzy, does he have one-punch knockout power? There's a lot of guys that don't have one-punch knockout power.”
“Mark Hunt is a legend, he's a pioneer of combat sports.”
“My football coach was also my wrestling coach.”
“I don't think I've ever turned down a fight. I get an opponent, I'm like OK. With the UFC, turning down fights isn't a good idea. That starts to put you in a bad light.”
“I do agree that Stipe would beat Jon but that would be a great fight. Jon would definitely make Stipe earn it to get past that long reach and also get past the creative and funky ways he keeps people away from him, the distance. It's interesting.”
“I don't have mental energy to spend on unknowns, things out of my hands.”
“I never understand why fans get upset that I wrestle. I feel like they should take that anger and direct it at my opponent for allowing me to take them down at will.”
“Anything can happen in the UFC.”
“When I was home in Chicago, I didn't have a striking coach, I didn't have a jiu jitsu coach, I wasn't doing a conditioning program, I wasn't eating right.”
“I believe once I take anyone down, the odds are in my favor.”
“Stipe's a smart fighter. He knows how to blend the wrestling with the striking.”