Curtis Blaydes remains indifferent to Josh Hokit's antics at UFC 327 face-off

Curtis Blaydes made it clear at UFC 327 media day on Wednesday that he has no interest in playing along with Josh Hokit's pre-fight theatrics, and he carried that attitude into their face-off ahead of Saturday's heavyweight bout.

Blaydes stated plainly that he does not intend to engage with Hokit's behavior or help his opponent generate attention. When the two men stood across from each other, Blaydes lived up to that promise, appearing entirely unbothered by whatever Hokit brought to the staredown.

The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, carries a 19-6-0 record into the fight and holds the number four ranking in the heavyweight division. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes is one of the more complete heavyweights in the sport, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking output of 3.56 significant strikes landed per minute at 50 percent accuracy.

Hokit, nicknamed The Incredible Hok, enters the bout undefeated at 5-0-0. The 28-year-old has built his early career without a blemish on his record, and Saturday's assignment represents by far the steepest test of his professional life.

Why it matters

• A win for Blaydes keeps him firmly in the heavyweight title conversation at number four in the division.
• Hokit's perfect record faces its first elite-level examination against a proven top-five heavyweight.
• The contrasting styles of Blaydes's wrestling-heavy, high-volume approach and Hokit's uncharted profile at this level add genuine intrigue to the matchup.
• Blaydes's refusal to be drawn into mind games signals a focused camp and a fighter who sees no advantage in giving a debuting contender extra motivation.