Curtis Blaydes vs Shamil Abdurakhimov — Fight recap

Curtis Blaydes defeated Shamil Abdurakhimov via TKO in round two at 2:22, extending his dominance in the heavyweight division. Blaydes controlled the entire fight with a perfect 5-of-5 takedown record and 6:08 of control time, systematically breaking down Abdurakhimov on the canvas.

The wrestling-heavy approach limited Abdurakhimov's offensive output to just three significant strikes on eight attempts, while Blaydes landed 25 significant strikes at 58% accuracy. Referee Marc Goddard stopped the fight after Blaydes' relentless ground-and-pound barrage overwhelmed his overmatched opponent, who managed zero takedowns and zero control time.

The victory reinforced Blaydes' position as a top heavyweight contender with elite grappling credentials, setting him up for a push toward title contention.