Curtis Blaydes dismisses Josh Hockit's behavior at UFC 327 faceoff

Curtis Blaydes made clear at Wednesday's UFC 327 media day that he has no interest in playing along with Josh Hockit's prefight theatrics, remaining visibly unmoved during the pair's faceoff ahead of their heavyweight bout scheduled for April 11.

Blaydes, who fights out of Elevation Fight Team, stated plainly that he does not plan to engage in promotional games or do anything to help raise Hockit's profile. The message was consistent with how he carried himself at the faceoff itself, where he showed complete indifference to whatever Hockit brought to the stage.

The 35-year-old American enters the fight ranked fourth in the heavyweight division with a record of 19 wins and 6 losses. At six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes is a physical specimen at the weight class, and his numbers back up his standing. He averages 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes, one of the more dangerous grappling rates in heavyweight MMA, and lands 3.56 significant strikes per minute at 50 percent accuracy — a combination that gives opponents problems standing and on the mat alike.

Why it matters

• Blaydes sits fourth in the heavyweight rankings, meaning a strong performance keeps him in contention for a title shot.
• His refusal to engage with Hockit's prefight behavior suggests a businesslike focus heading into a fight with real divisional stakes.
• Blaydes's elite takedown volume against an opponent whose profile is still developing could be a defining stylistic factor in how the bout unfolds.