Curtis Blaydes sustained a broken orbital bone and a broken nose following his fight at UFC 327 in Miami. After being released from the hospital, Blaydes returned home to Colorado to begin his recovery. The injuries were confirmed by sources and reflect the damage sustained during the bout. The extent of the injuries and recovery timeline have not been specified, but both facial fractures will require proper healing time.
Curtis Blaydes walked out of UFC 327 in Miami on April 11 with two significant facial injuries — a broken orbital bone and a broken nose — adding a painful postscript to his night inside the octagon.
Blaydes, 35, is a ranked heavyweight contender sitting fourth in the division and fighting out of Elevation Fight Team in Colorado, where he has since returned to begin his recovery. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, the orthodox striker carries a professional record of 19-6-0 and has long been regarded as one of the more complete fighters in a loaded heavyweight landscape. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, among the highest rates in the division, and lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy clip. The confirmed fractures to his orbital bone and nose speak to the punishment absorbed during the bout, though no specific recovery timeline has been disclosed.
Why it matters
- Blaydes is ranked fourth at heavyweight, meaning an extended absence could affect his positioning in a division that moves quickly
- Orbital and nasal fractures typically require several months of healing before a fighter can resume full-contact training
- Any prolonged layoff could open the door for other contenders to leapfrog him in the rankings before his return
Saturday, April 11, 2026
