Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockit faced off before their UFC 327 bout, with Blaydes showing complete indifference to Hockit's behavior. The post notes that Blaydes stated during Wednesday's media day that he would not participate in promotional antics or help Hockit gain attention. Blaydes appears to be keeping his word by remaining stoic during the face-off. The post includes a poll asking fans to predict the winner of the matchup. Blaydes' calm demeanor contrasts with what is implied to be more theatrical behavior from Hockit.
Curtis Blaydes made it clear he had no interest in playing along at the UFC 327 face-off on Thursday, standing stone-faced as opponent Josh Hockit attempted to stir the pot ahead of their heavyweight clash scheduled for April 11.
Blaydes, who addressed media on Wednesday, had already signaled his approach, stating he would not engage in promotional theatrics or offer Hockit any kind of platform. The face-off confirmed he meant it. While Hockit leaned into the moment, "Razor" gave him nothing in return.
The 35-year-old American fights out of Elevation Fight Team and enters the bout ranked fourth in the heavyweight division, carrying a record of 19-6-0. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes has long been one of the most physically imposing wrestlers in the weight class. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, a mark that ranks among the elite at heavyweight, and lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy, showing he is a threat both on the feet and on the mat.
Why it matters
- A win keeps Blaydes firmly in the heavyweight title conversation as the division's fourth-ranked contender
- His elite wrestling output makes the Hockit matchup a potential stylistic mismatch if he controls the grappling early
- Blaydes' refusal to engage in mind games suggests a purely performance-focused camp heading into fight night
Saturday, April 11, 2026
