Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hocket faced off before their UFC 327 bout, with Blaydes showing complete indifference to Hocket's behavior. Blaydes had stated at Wednesday's media day that he would not participate in helping Hocket promote himself, and he kept his word during the face-off. The post notes that Blaydes simply doesn't care about Hocket's promotional tactics. The fight is part of the UFC 327 card, and fans are asked to predict the winner.
Curtis Blaydes made it clear at the UFC 327 pre-fight face-off on Thursday that he had no interest in playing along with Josh Hocket's attempts to generate attention ahead of their heavyweight matchup the following night.
Blaydes, who had signaled his intentions at Wednesday's media day by stating plainly that he would not help Hocket promote himself, followed through. When Hocket engaged in his usual theatrics at the face-off, "Razor" met them with complete indifference, refusing to give his opponent the reaction he was looking for.
The 35-year-old American carries a 19-6-0 record into UFC 327 and enters the fight ranked fourth in the heavyweight division. Fighting out of Elevation Fight Team in an orthodox stance, Blaydes stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach — a substantial physical presence at 193 cm and 203 cm respectively. His fighting style reflects a relentless, high-output approach: he lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at a 50 percent accuracy rate, and his grappling is among the most active in the division, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Blaydes sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, meaning a strong performance could push him closer to title contention.
- His decision to disengage from Hocket's face-off tactics suggests a focused, business-like mindset heading into fight night.
- Blaydes's elite takedown volume against whatever Hocket brings standing up shapes the central stylistic question of the bout.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
