Curtis Blaydes vs Tom Aspinall — Fight recap

Curtis Blaydes stopped Tom Aspinall via KO/TKO in the first round at 0:15 on July 23, 2022, with referee Herb Dean officiating. Blaydes landed 4 of 10 significant strikes at 40% accuracy, including 2 head strikes, before finishing Aspinall in devastating fashion.

Despite Aspinall connecting on 3 of 5 significant strikes (60%) in the brief exchange, he had no time to establish offense or implement his grappling game. Neither fighter attempted takedowns, and Blaydes controlled just 0:01 of cage time before the finish, underscoring the explosive nature of the knockout.

The lightning-quick finish marked a statement victory for Blaydes in the heavyweight division, reasserting his position as a top contender in a suddenly wide-open title picture.