Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev Canceled at UFC 313
The heavyweight matchup between Curtis Blaydes and Rizvan Kuniev was removed from UFC 313 on fight night, March 8, 2025, after Blaydes withdrew because of illness. The bout was among two late cancellations announced by the promotion, alongside John Castaneda’s featherweight fight with Chris Gutierrez. No replacement opponent was added for Kuniev, and the card proceeded without the matchup.
The withdrawal was a setback for both heavyweights. Blaydes, then ranked among the division’s top contenders, was looking to return to the Octagon after a loss to Tom Aspinall. Kuniev, a former PFL heavyweight tournament finalist making his UFC debut, lost the opportunity to introduce himself to UFC fans against a highly ranked wrestler. UFC’s event update confirmed the illness-related cancellation.
The matchup finally happened in Baku
The UFC later rebooked Blaydes and Kuniev for the June 21, 2025 card in Baku, Azerbaijan. Their three-round contest was competitive: Kuniev had stretches of success and made Blaydes work, while Blaydes looked to use his wrestling and pressure to shape the fight. The judges awarded Blaydes a split decision, with two scorecards of 29-28 for him and one 29-28 for Kuniev.
The result gave Blaydes a win after the March cancellation, while Kuniev’s UFC debut ended in a narrow loss. The official UFC scorecards record the split decision, and the promotion’s Baku recap describes Blaydes as having to battle through a difficult three rounds.
Why the cancellation mattered
UFC 313 was headlined by Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev, but the late scratches changed the preliminary lineup and removed a meaningful heavyweight test from the card. For Kuniev, a delayed debut meant waiting several more months for his first UFC appearance. For Blaydes, the postponement pushed his next fight into the summer schedule and ultimately set up a new challenge in Baku.
Both heavyweights have fought several times since their Baku bout. Blaydes lost a unanimous decision to Josh Hokit at UFC 327 in April 2026, then defeated Waldo Cortes-Acosta by unanimous decision at Noche UFC in September. Kuniev stopped Tyrell Fortune by third-round TKO at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25. The UFC’s UFC 327 scorecards, Noche UFC results, and UFC Abu Dhabi results document the later fights.
Read the UFC’s UFC 313 update, the official Baku judges’ scorecards, and the UFC Baku results recap.
