If you ask him now, in November 2018, Curtis Blaydes won’t single himself out as the best wrestler in the heavyweight division. Try again in a few years, though, and you might get a different answer.

“If I’m not the best right now, today, I will be the best by the time I end my career,” Blaydes told MMAjunkie. “Because I’m going to end my career with at least 75 career takedowns.”

That may seem like a bold statement, but Blaydes does have some numerical evidence to help make his case. He currently holds, for instance, the highest rate of completed takedowns among all active UFC heavyweights (57.9 percent), as well as the highest rate of takedowns landed per 15 minutes (6.82) in divisional history.

When it comes to takedowns landed both in overall UFC heavyweight competition (33) and in a single fight (10), the 27-year-old is still behind ex-champ Cain Velasquez – but only by a single takedown, on both accounts.

Perhaps on Saturday, when Blaydes (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) meets Francis Ngannou (11-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 141, he’ll be able to break those, too. The heavyweight clash, which headlines the card at Cadillac Arena in Beijing, streams live on UFC Fight Pass.

For now, Blaydes says that the argument for best heavyweight wrestler is between him, ex-UFC-champ Stipe Miocic and current champion Daniel Cormier. And while the latter has some pretty strong evidence to show for his wrestling skills, such as Olympic credentials, Blaydes believes his style will be the thing to grant that distinction before his MMA career is done.

“I think people are giving ‘DC’ accolades on wrestling because he needed it early on in his career,” Blaydes said. “But, prior to the Derrick Lewis fight (at UFC 23), ‘DC’ hasn’t really relied on his wrestling. He kind of became more of a striker, which is fine because he’s got good boxing.

“I will never, ever go away from my wrestling. I’m always going to look to get 2-5 takedowns every fight because it makes it easier. I know this is an entertainment sport, but I’m also looking to protect my brain. The best way for me to protect my brain is to get the other guy on his back.”

Blaydes’ unwillingness to compromise his health over some people’s ideas of what makes a fight exciting is not exactly news.

Speaking to MMAjunkie Radio earlier this year, the heavyweight acknowledged that his style wasn’t necessarily the most “fan-friendly,” but said he wasn’t about to risk brain damage “to put on a show for people I don’t know” – even if that meant he never got a crack at the UFC’s heavyweight crown.

As the hellacious elbows that earned him a “Performance of the Night” win over Alistair Overeem at UFC 225 in June are testament, though, that doesn’t mean Blaydes can’t bring the striking heat on occasion. But again, Blaydes says, it all boils down to staying true to his roots.

“Just the constant pressure my wrestling puts on guys makes my hands better,” Blaydes said. “So that’s another reason I’m always looking to wrestle. It makes my hands better. I think by the time I retire I will go down as the best heavyweight wrestler ever.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 141, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.