Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockett have first face-off ahead of UFC 327 bout

Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockett shared their first face-off ahead of their heavyweight clash at UFC 327, scheduled for April 11, with a fight week that has been anything but ordinary on Hockett's end.

Blaydes, known as "Razor," enters the bout ranked fourth in the heavyweight division with a professional record of 19-6-0. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and brings a well-rounded offensive game to the cage. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, one of the higher rates in the division, and lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy — a combination that has made him a consistent contender at the top of the heavyweight rankings for years.

Hockett, meanwhile, has dominated the pre-fight conversation for reasons that have little to do with what happens inside the octagon. Throughout fight week, he has reportedly made strange statements and approached fighters directly in the hotel lobby, generating an unusual level of attention for what might otherwise have been a lower-profile matchup. According to reports, the unconventional behavior has had the side effect of drawing more fan sympathy toward Blaydes than he typically commands heading into a bout.

The actual face-off itself was described only as having taken place, with no specific details about the exchange reported.

Why it matters

• Blaydes sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, meaning a strong performance could push him closer to a title shot
• Hockett's antics have injected unexpected public interest into the card heading into fight night
• The stylistic contrast between Blaydes's elite wrestling and whatever Hockett brings sets up an intriguing matchup on paper