A detailed breakdown of Josh Hockett's performance against Curtis Blaydes highlights both strengths and vulnerabilities. While Hockett's brawling approach and middle fingers secured victory, the analysis notes he absorbed too many strikes and such aggression could lead to knockout losses against Alex Pereira or Sergei Pavlovich. Positively, Hockett showed heavier hands even in the third round, improved elbow work, and easily defended all takedown attempts, indicating high-level wrestling defense and versatility from coach Winkeljohn's training. The analyst suggests Hockett's deviant behavior perfectly aligns with Trump and Dana White's preferences, and warns that while Derrick Lewis is a viable next opponent, Lewis may prioritize a payday over winning, though Hockett's reckless style (especially fighting before Trump at the White House) makes the matchup unpredictable.
A recent analytical breakdown of Josh Hockett's win over Curtis Blaydes has drawn attention to both the promise and the peril embedded in the heavyweight's unorthodox approach, raising pointed questions about how far that style can carry him against elite-level opposition.
The analysis credits Hockett with several genuine positives from the Blaydes fight. His hands remained heavy through the third round, his elbow work showed clear improvement, and he successfully defended every takedown attempt — a detail the breakdown attributes to high-level wrestling defense developed under coach Winkeljohn. That combination of striking power and grappling resistance suggests real versatility. At the same time, the reviewer flags a central concern: Hockett absorbed too many strikes, and a brawl-first mentality that worked against Blaydes could prove fatal against the division's hardest hitters.
Two names in particular illustrate the risk. Sergei Pavlovich, ranked third in the heavyweight division at 34 years old, carries a 20-3 record and lands significant strikes at a rate of 4.43 per minute with a reach of 84 inches. The southpaw Russian is among the most dangerous finishers in the sport. Then there is light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, the 38-year-old Brazilian who lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 62 percent accuracy — numbers that make reckless forward pressure a liability rather than an asset.
Why it matters
- Hockett's wrestling defense and power are genuine assets that earn him credibility in the division
- His damage absorption rate represents a structural flaw that elite strikers like Pavlovich and Pereira could exploit decisively
- Derrick Lewis, ranked eighth at 41 years old with a 29-14 record and a 79-inch reach, is identified as a viable next opponent, though the analysis questions how motivated Lewis would be to engage rather than simply collect a payday
- The matchup with Lewis remains unpredictable precisely because Hockett's reckless aggression defies conventional game-planning
