The rematch between Tom Aspinall and Curtis Blaydes has been set as the co-main event at UFC 304: Edwards vs Muhammad 2 on July 27 at Co-op Live in Manchester, England. The contest pits the interim heavyweight champion, representing the country-host, against the No. 4-ranked contender of Naperville, Illinois.
Aspinall and Blaydes first met in July 2022. The fight ended in 15 seconds due to knee injury suffered by Aspinall. Blaydes took the victory via TKO.
31-year-old Tom Aspinall (14-3) landed the interim belt last November, when he stopped Sergei Pavlovich in the first round. 33-year-old Curtis Blaydes (18-4, 1 NC) is coming off the win by knockout in the second round against Jailton Almeida in March.
Reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been sidelined due to injury suffered in the lead up to his canceled fight against Stipe Miocic.
The Aspinall vs Blaydes 2 showdown was revealed, among other bouts, by Dana White in a video posted on X.
In the main event of UFC 304, Jamaica-born Leon Edwards (22-3, 1 NC) of Birmingham, England makes the third defense of his welterweight title against No. 2-ranked contender Belal Muhammad (23-3, 1 NC) of Chicago, Illinois. The current lineup looks as the following:
- Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad, welterweight – Edwards’ UFC welterweight title
- Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes, heavyweight – Aspinall’s interim UFC heavyweight title
- Bobby Green vs. Paddy Pimblett, lightweight
- Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze, featherweight
- Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape, flyweight
- Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda, featherweight
- Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil, women’s strawweight
- Shauna Bannon vs. Ravena Oliveira, women’s strawweight
