A battle of top ten heavyweight contenders has been added to UFC 221 as #5 Mark Hunt is going to be in action against #9 Curtis Blaydes.
Hunt (13-11-1-1NC) is back for the first time since getting a battery of tests done by doctors in Las Vegas, which was required by the UFC after the fighter claimed to have symptoms of CTE. Hunt has only won just one of his last three under the UFC banner and that lone win came over Derrick Lewis at UFC Fight Night Auckland. Hunt has previously challenged for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Title, losing to then champion Fabricio Werdum at UFC 180.
Blaydes (8-1-0) enters the fight on a two bout winning streak, defeating the duo of Daniel Omielanczuk and Alexey Oleinik. Blaydes has only suffered a single defeat thus far in the UFC and that came to Francis Ngannou at UFC Fight Night 86. Blaydes has seen just one of his nine professional MMA fights go the distance and that came against Daniel Omielanczuk at UFC 213.
UFC 221 takes place on Saturday, February 10 from the Perth Arena in Perth, Australia with Robert Whittaker and Luke Rockhold headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
