Curtis Blaydes suffers orbital and nose fractures at UFC 327

Curtis Blaydes walked out of UFC 327 in Miami with an orbital bone fracture and a broken nose, according to a medical update sourced from reporter Mike Bohn following the event on April 11. The heavyweight contender has since been released from the hospital and is headed home to Colorado to begin his recovery.

Blaydes, 35, holds a 19-6-0 professional record and sits at number four in the UFC heavyweight rankings. The six-foot-four Colorado-based fighter, who competes out of Elevation Fight Team, carries an 80-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. Known as "Razor," he is one of the division's most prolific grapplers, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. He also contributes on the feet, landing 3.56 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent striking accuracy clip.

Why it matters

• A ranked heavyweight at number four, Blaydes' recovery timeline could directly affect the division's contender picture near the top of the rankings.
• Orbital and nasal fractures can carry variable recovery windows, leaving his next scheduled appearance uncertain.
• As one of the most active takedown artists in the heavyweight division, any extended layoff slows momentum he has built as a perennial title contender.