Curtis Blaydes and Josh Hockett faced off before their UFC 327 bout, with Blaydes appearing completely uninterested in Hockett's behavior. Blaydes stated during Wednesday's media day that he has no intention of participating in promotional theatrics or helping Hockett gain attention. The post notes that Blaydes is keeping his word about not engaging with his opponent's attempts at provocation. A poll asks fans to predict the winner of the matchup. Blaydes' calm demeanor contrasts sharply with Hockett's apparent attempts to generate interest in the fight.
Curtis Blaydes made clear on Wednesday that he has no interest in playing along with Josh Hockett's mind games ahead of their heavyweight clash at UFC 327, scheduled for April 11.
At the UFC 327 media day face-off, Blaydes was visibly disengaged as Hockett attempted to draw a reaction from him. Blaydes later told reporters that he has no intention of participating in promotional theatrics or helping his opponent generate attention. The message was simple: he will let his performance inside the octagon do the talking.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," enters the fight ranked fourth in the heavyweight division with a professional record of 19-6. The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team in Colorado, stands six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach and has built his reputation as one of the most dangerous grapplers in the division. He averages an elite 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at a rate of 3.56 significant strikes per minute with 50 percent accuracy, making him a consistent and well-rounded threat at the highest level.
No verified data for Hockett is available in the AgentMMA database at this time.
Why it matters
- Blaydes sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, meaning a dominant performance could strengthen his case for a title shot.
- His willingness to ignore Hockett's provocations suggests a focused, businesslike approach heading into fight night.
- With Blaydes' elite takedown volume and solid striking output, the stylistic matchup will hinge heavily on whether Hockett can keep the fight standing.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
