According to MMA journalist Farah Hannoun, highly ranked Heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes has his next fight booked.
Reportedly set to take on Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 242, Blaydes (11-2-1) will look to make it two straights wins as his hunt for a title shot continues. With a 6-2-1 record inside the octagon, Blaydes has only lost to Francis Ngannous, tasting defeat against the feared puncher on two occasions. Outside of that though, Blaydes has been one of the division's most consistent contenders. Currently ranked 4th in the UFC's official Heavyweight rankings, Blaydes holds a notable win over Mark Hunt as well as a violent stoppage victory against Alistair Overeem.
On the other hand, Abdurakhimov (20-4) enters with strong form of his own, winning three straight and reaching 10th position in the division's standings. Most recently, Abdurakhimov stopped Marcin Tybura but at UFC 242, will be hoping for a career-best win opposite Blaydes. Whether he can achieve that remains to be seen though, previously falling short opposite Derrick Lewis in his last outing of this importance.
UFC 242 takes place in Abu Dhabi on September 7th. The event is expected to be headlined by a unification Lightweight Title bout between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier.