White to Blaydes: 'You look stupid' after trash talk, lackluster win
UFC president Dana White wasn't thrilled with Curtis Blaydes' performance in the UFC Fight Night main event Saturday in Las Vegas.
The heavyweight contender dominated Alexander Volkov en route to a unanimous decision win. Blaydes earned 14 takedowns and controlled his foe, but White doesn't believe Blaydes' performance backed up the 29-year-old's comments heading into the contest.
"I mean, he won," White said at the postfight press conference, according to MMA Junkie. "He talked a lot of shit coming in this week. I don't think you talk the shit that he talked this week and come in and perform like that. Talking about rag-dolling people, and he's not getting paid, he should be getting the title shot. He gassed out at the end of the third round, made it to the fifth, and won the fight.
"I like Curtis Blaydes, but Curtis Blaydes has the wrong attitude as far as I'm concerned," White continued. "I don't have anything against the kid at all, (but) when you talk shit like he talked this week, man, you better come in and whoop somebody's ass. ... When you talk the shit that he talked and perform like you performed tonight, you look stupid."
Blaydes accurately predicted how the Volkov bout would play out in a tweet Thursday, warning that fans expecting a stand-up war shouldn't watch the fight.
Ahead of Saturday's event, Blaydes sounded off on fighter pay and said the UFC has enough money to pay its athletes more. He also said he planned on sitting out and waiting for a title shot if he beats Volkov.
Blaydes has now won four fights in a row. He's ranked No. 3 in the heavyweight division.