Left to Right: Coach Vinny Lopez, Austin Hubbard, Curtis Blaydes, Coach Cody Donovan
Curtis Blaydes on Stipe Miocic: ‘I don’t have time to wait for old men’
Curtis Blaydes is not happy with the logjam Stipe Miocic has created at heavyweight.
Miocic has only fought twice in two years, both times against Daniel Cormier and has held up the heavyweight division. For, Curtis Blaydes, it is frustrating as he has to continue to fight with no sight on a title shot as Miocic is out with an injury and no timeline for a return.
“The heavyweight division after you get past Derrick Lewis is pretty hazy,” Curtis Blaydes said on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani MMA Show (via MMANews). “That all rests on Stipe’s decisions. I know he’s got the injury. I know he’s gonna be out for a little while, but it would be nice if he made a decision. At least give us some sort of timeline, like a plan. If he wants ‘DC’ that’s fine. I have no problem waiting if he wants ‘DC.’”
Curtis Blaydes says he never thought Miocic would be a champion to create a logjam like this and he needs to defend or vacate his belt.
“I’m not gonna lie it’s a bit annoying and frustrating,” Curtis Blaydes continued. “I have a lot of respect for Stipe. We have trained together previously. But I didn’t envision him being the type of champion to create a logjam like this. It feels like he’s just soaking up the spotlight, which is well within his right but in order to be the champion, the champion has to fight. He has to defend the belt; he has to continue to prove that he’s the champion.
“It’ll be a year before he steps back in the Octagon and to me that’s too long. I think if it gets to like June or July and he still hasn’t made a decision, I’m gonna start calling for defend or vacate,” he said. “No disrespect to him, I think he’s an amazing fighter, a really good dude but this is my prime. I don’t have time to wait for old men to soak up the limelight. You need to get out of the way and make room for the new blood.”
