On the UFC on ABC 8 main card Saturday, Blaydes (18-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) defeated Rizvan Kuniev via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). The event took place at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Curtis Blaydes may have come out on top in his UFC Baku bout against Rizvan Kuniev, but it was a close fight that nearly saw him, a No. 5 fighter, lose to a

Curtis Blaydes believes fighting Rizvan Kuniev at UFC Baku doesn't get him any closer to a heavyweight title shot.