Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockit held their first staredown before their scheduled fight at UFC 327. The face-off comes amid Hockit's increasingly erratic promotional behavior leading up to the bout. Blaydes, a heavyweight contender, will face the unpredictable Hockit in what has become a highly unusual build-up. The post invited fans to indicate which fighter they support heading into the heavyweight matchup.
Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockit locked eyes for the first time Wednesday as the two heavyweights held their official staredown ahead of their scheduled clash at UFC 327, set for April 11.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," enters the matchup as one of the division's most established contenders. The 35-year-old American, fighting out of Elevation Fight Team, carries a 19-6-0 record and is currently ranked fourth in the heavyweight division. At six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, he is a physically imposing presence, and his numbers back that up — he averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, one of the more dominant grappling rates in the heavyweight ranks, while landing 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy.
Verified data for Hockit was not available at time of publication.
Why it matters
- Blaydes, ranked fourth at heavyweight, has a clear path toward title contention with a strong performance
- The build-up has drawn unusual attention due to what has been described as increasingly erratic promotional behavior from Hockit
- The stylistic contrast between Blaydes's elite grappling output and Hockit's unpredictable approach sets up an intriguing dynamic heading into fight week
- Fan engagement around the staredown suggests the matchup has captured broader interest despite — or perhaps because of — the unconventional pre-fight atmosphere
Saturday, April 11, 2026
