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“I’m just business before,” Blaydes said. “But afterwards, I’m very complimentary, very respectful because I’ve watched these guys. These are the OGs, these are the names. You beat these guys, you’re real. And I am always just happy to be able to meet these guys. Because after you fight them, they’re normal guys. They have the same issues, the same struggles that you have and they reaffirm that everything’s all right. Sometimes you get a bit overwhelmed, you’re like, ‘How am I doing, how am I going to do this, am I doing this right,’ and you talk to a guy like Alistair and he tells you the things he’s done right and the things he’s done wrong, and I know I’m on the right path. It’s good to hear it from those guys.”
Overeem liked Blaydes so much he wound up training with him in Colorado. You don’t see that too often. Yet despite all the respect going around, it does appear that “Razor” has been a little more intent on delivering one-sided victories on fight night, with the wins over Willis and Shamil Abdurakhimov among his most decisive.
“I’m a little more focused now, just having a daughter,” said Blaydes. “It’s a lot more about business. I need that money.”
He also wants that belt, and should he get there, he’s got the potential to stay on top for a long time. That’s the plan, and it always has been.
“As long as I’ve been an athlete, professional or amateur, I’ve always liked to be at the top,” Blaydes said. “I’ve always been one of the best and, for me, this is status quo, so as long as I’m an athlete, I want to be at or hovering around the top. As soon as I start drifting too far away, that’s when I know it’s time to hang ‘em up.”