Josh Hockit's fighting approach in his victory over Curtis Blaydes demonstrated both his strengths and potential vulnerabilities at the highest level. While he successfully defeated Blaydes, the analyst notes that Hockit absorbed a significant volume of strikes due to his aggressive, crowd-pleasing style that involves taunting and constant pressure. The piece suggests that such tactics could prove costly against knockout artists like Alex Pereira or Sergei Pavlovich. Despite the criticism of his defensive lapses, Hockit showed improvement in his striking power, maintaining heavy hands even into the third round of an exhausting fight, and displayed versatility with effective elbow work. His wrestling defense against Blaydes' takedown attempts was described as high-level. The analyst credits coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn for Hockit's technical development, while noting his confrontational persona aligns perfectly with Dana White and Donald Trump's preferences. A potential matchup with Derrick Lewis is mentioned, though concerns exist that Lewis may prioritize earning money and avoiding damage over securing victory.
