Blaydes and Hockitt face off for first time ahead of UFC 327

Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockitt had their first face-off ahead of their heavyweight fight at UFC 327. The staredown marks the official beginning of fight week promotional activities for the bout. Hockitt's bizarre behavior leading up to the fight has generated unusual attention for the matchup, with his extreme trash talk and unconventional antics creating a storyline that has people supporting Blaydes who might not normally root for him. The face-off represents a traditional moment in what has otherwise been an untraditional promotional campaign for the fight.